A participant demonstrates Kung Fu during the 2023 African Shaolin Kungfu Games held at the Shaolin Cultural center in Lusaka, Zambia, June 25, 2023. The Shaolin Temple in Zambia has organized the first-ever African Shaolin Kung Fu Games and other activities aimed at promoting the sport on the African continent and promoting cultural exchanges.(Photo: Xinhua)

 
The inaugural African Shaolin Kung Fu Games were held on Sunday at the Shaolin Cultural Center in Lusaka, Zambia. The event served as a platform for cultural exchange between China and Africa while also promoting the popularization of the ancient sport in the African continent, according to Xinhua.

Approximately 150 Shaolin disciples from 22 African countries participated in the games, showcasing their skills in various forms of martial arts. The competition included multiple Shaolin boxing routines and different categories of weapons, judged by Shaolin masters to ensure professionalism and fairness.

A total of 29 athletes from 13 countries, including Zambia, Benin and Senegal, were awarded first place in their respective categories. The Shaolin Temple in Zambia received the first-place award for the group performance category. In addition, seven participants were selected as "African Shaolin Kung Fu Stars."

Lacmagou Fregis Arnaud, a participant from Cameroon, said that Shaolin Kung Fu not only taught him combat skills but also imparted valuable life lessons, boosting his self-confidence and self-discipline.

During the event, the establishment of the African Shaolin Federation was officially announced. Shi Yongxin, abbot of Shaolin Temple, addressed the founding ceremony, saying that the games will continue to promote mutual understanding, friendship, and cooperation between China and other countries, embodying the values of fitness, enlightenment and harmony that Shaolin Kung Fu represents.

The African Shaolin Cultural Center in Zambia, established in December 2021, is the first temple of its kind in Africa. In addition to learning the classic Shaolin Kung Fu, students can also engage in traditional Chinese cultural courses, including Chinese language, calligraphy, traditional etiquette, Chinese traditional medicine theory, acupuncture, and massage.

Chinese kung fu has been gaining in popularity across Africa, according to media reports. Central African country Rwanda established the Kung-Fu Wushu Federation in 2007, which brought together aspiring kung fu practitioners to compete in dynamic routines. In Kenya, located in East Africa, an increasing number of young individuals have embraced kung fu, through joining local kung fu clubs or learning from experienced locals who received training at the renowned Shaolin Temple in China's Henan Province. 

African trainees have been granted opportunities to undergo kung fu training and learn traditional Chinese culture at the prestigious temple since 2013. These African trainees have become instrumental in popularizing the sport and training young practitioners in their countries, according to the official Weibo account of the Shaolin Temple.