January 21 in 2023 is traditional Chinese New Year’ s Eve when Shaolin monks, under the leadership of abbot Yongxin, followed the tradition of more than one thousand years to paste couplets, worship ancestors, stay up until midnight, strike the bell for blessing, welcoming and celebrating the Spring Festival peacefully and joyfully.
A deputation led by general Bo Shanglang, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen’ s assistant and deputy commander of the Guard, visited Shaolin Temple and gladly communicated with abbot Shi Yongxin on the morning of February 12, 2023. General Bo Shanglang highly recognized and admired Shaolin Sangha’ s contribution in benefiting sentient beings, cultural exchanges and so on.
On March 31 or the 10th day of the second lunar month, the eve of Qingming Festival, to mark generations of patriarchs and remember eminent monks and holy ones, Shaolin Temple solemnly hosted the pagoda sweeping ceremony for ancestors worship of the Qingming Festival.
Under the abbot of Shaolin Temple the Grand Monk Shi Yongxin’ s vow, with the consent of provincial and municipal competent authorities, and the approval of the Buddhist Association of China, the Three Ordination Platforms ceremony (for monks) sponsored by the Buddhist Association of Henan Province and undertaken by China Songshan Shaolin Temple, was successfully conferred in Shaolin Temple in Guimao Year from April 5 to May 5, 2023.
To pray for the living, the deceased and sentient beings of ten directions, Shaolin Temple launched a 7-day Waterland Dharma Function from May 8 to 15. The dharma assembly blessed for prosperity and security of the country, good weather for the crops, world peace, safety and health of the people and release from sufferings as well as prayed for believers’ disaster elimination, family reunion and good luck, and everything well.
On June 25, “the first African Shaolin Kungfu Games” was grandly held in Shaolin Temple Cultural Center in Zambia where around 150 Shaolin disciples from 22 African countries gathered together to learn martial arts skills from each other. During the time, about 29 players from 22 countries in Africa respectively won the first prize. During the event, the Shaolin African Association was officially claimed its establishment.
From July 8 to 9, “the first Singapore Shaolin cultural festival ＆ the second Asian Shaolin Kungfu Games” were conducted in the Singapore Wushu Dragon & Lion Dance Federation. More than 300 players from 12 countries including China, Singapore, Indonesia, India, Thailand, Iran, Malaysia, Japan, Macao (China), Taiwan (China), Finland, America and so on attended the competition. This is another spread and inheritance of Shaolin culture in the world after the first African Shaolin Kungfu games in late June.
From August 12 to 13, held by the Chinese Weiqi Association and China Songshan Shaolin Temple, and shouldered by the Henan Provincial Weiqi Association and Henan Provincial Shaolin Weiqi Institute, the First Chinese Weiqi Congress and the Fourth Shaolin Black and White Weiqi Open kicked off in Shaolin Temple. The Chinese Weiqi Congress also held exhibitions including Weiqi culture of 4, 000 years, special Chan Weiqi culture of 1, 500 years, red Weiqi culture and so on in Huishan Temple.
From Sep. 1 to 24, taking a 24-day persistent efforts, five Shaolin monks including master Yantang, master Yanchuan, master Yanxing, master Yankun and master Yanchi, got to the Mount Wutai making three-step-one-bow pilgrimage to Dailuo Peak and finished their vow and walking tour successfully.
From Oct. 18 to 29, to spread traditional Chinese culture and healthy Shaolin lifestyle and concepts, and to promote Shaolin culture outgoing, recently, a group led by Shi Yongxin, abbot of Shaolin Temple, arrived in Bolivia and Argentina, starting the 2023 Shaolin Kungfu games and Shaolin and the South American cultural exchange tour. This is another grand event held in the South America after the African, Asian Singapore’ s Kungfu games.
From Nov. 11 to 12, the 2023 North American Shaolin Games hosted by China Songshan Shaolin Temple was held in Los Angeles. Its contents covered the first North American Shaolin Kungfu Games, world peace blessing meeting, promoting training and certification of Shaolin Kungfu Duanpin system, Shaolin Kungfu public performance and so on. This is a grand event held in America again by Shaolin Temple since the 2013 North American Shaolin Culture Festival over ten years. Participants are from more than 40 states from America as well as Canada, Mexico and other countries. Kungfu Star chosen from the Shaolin Kungfu games also together with Shaolin Kungfu monks attended “immortal Shaolin” public performance on Nov. 12, showing American audience Chinese Kungfu’ s unique charm.
On Dec. 2, sponsored by China Songshan Shaolin Temple and shouldered by Shaolin Kungfu Meditation Temple of Australia, the 2023 Oceania Shaolin Games was held in the sports centre of the Olympic Park, Sydney. Abbot of Shaolin Temple the Grand Monk Shi Yongxin, Counselor and Consul Wang Shuyu of the Chinese Consulate General, Shaolin disciples and Kungfu enthusiasts totaling more than 300 people attended the Shaolin Kungfu games. Since 2023, Shaolin Temple continually has held the Shaolin Kungfu games in Africa, Asia, South America, North America, Europe and so on meanwhile Oceania is the final battle for the series of Kungfu games.
