Our Histroy

 Introduction to the UK Shaolin Temple

The UK Shaolin Temple was founded in 1998.
On January 28, 1998, Venerable Shi Yanzi, a 34th-generation disciple of the Shaolin Temple, was officially dispatched by the Temple to London to establish the UK Shaolin Cultural Centre. From its inception, the Centre received a warm welcome from the local Chinese community as well as numerous enthusiasts of Shaolin culture.

After extensive preparation, the Centre secured its permanent location in October of the same year at:

207A Junction Road, Tufnell Park, London N19 5QA,
thus establishing a dedicated and dignified venue for cultural transmission and spiritual practice.

With the collective efforts and support of devoted disciples, the once dilapidated building and neglected courtyard were carefully restored and transformed into a serene and solemn Shaolin Cultural Centre. It has since become an important place for practitioners to study the Dharma, cultivate their minds, and train their bodies, while fulfilling its mission of promoting authentic Shaolin culture overseas.

Shaolin culture integrates Chan (Zen), martial arts, medicine, arts, and moral cultivation, and stands as a vital representative of China’s outstanding traditional heritage. Upholding the orthodox Shaolin lineage, the UK Shaolin Temple offers a wide range of activities, including:

  • Chan meditation and Buddhist ceremonies

  • Shaolin Kung Fu training

  • Health-preserving Qigong practice

  • Traditional Chinese medicine and wellness teachings

The essence of Shaolin martial arts lies in self-strengthening, self-protection, upholding righteousness, and safeguarding goodness. Training emphasizes both external and internal cultivation: strengthening the body while refining the mind and vital energy, achieving unity between inner and outer practice, and balancing literary and martial cultivation. Many disciples enter the path through martial training and gradually awaken to Chan principles, experiencing the profound depth of Shaolin wisdom.

Since its founding in 1998, the Shaolin lineage in the United Kingdom has continued to flourish. The transmission has progressed from the 34th generation to the 35th generation of the “Heng” lineage. Over the years, the Centre has trained dozens of outstanding instructors and lineage holders, enabling Shaolin culture to take root, grow, and thrive abroad.

Looking ahead, the UK Shaolin Temple will continue to uphold the principles of compassion as its foundation, martial arts as a vehicle of the Way, and Chan as a means to transform the mind, ensuring that Shaolin culture continues to prosper and endure on this land.