02300 a2200409 4500 1040252338 20250328151429.0 250324022025GB 26 eng 9781040252338 EA Taylor & Francis GBP 39.99 BB 01 eng GTM thema QRA thema QRF thema S thema JHMC thema JHBS thema 1FPC bisac GTB bic HRA bic HRE bic WS bic JHMC bic JHBS bic 1FPC bisac REL007000 bisac SOC002010 bisac SOC039000 bisac SPO027000 bisac Marta Nešković Shaolin Kung Fu Exploring Chan Buddhism, Monastic Community, and Martial Arts 1 Oxford Routledge 20250321 362 p This book investigates contemporary Shaolin Kung Fu, situated between tradition and modernity. Deeply rooted in the philosophical and religious traditions of Chan Buddhism and concurrently evolving under the influence of globalization, this martial art serves as a Chan Buddhist practice within the Shaolin monastic community. Illuminating the rich cultural heritage of Shaolin Kung Fu and its ongoing relevance in the contemporary world, the analysis is grounded in long-term ethnographic fieldwork conducted at the Shaolin Monastery in Henan Province, China. The author argues that the spiritual essence of Shaolin Kung Fu is derived not from its constituent elements, such as body movements and techniques, but rather from the Chan Buddhist structures of meaning the practitioners embody. By highlighting the relationship between habitus, lived body, and dynamic embodiment, the book offers a novel perspective on the intersection of spirituality and martial arts. Providing a deeper understanding of the cultural, religious, and philosophical foundations that underpin Shaolin Kung Fu, this is a valuable reading for scholars of anthropology, sociology, religious studies, cultural heritage, and China studies, as well as for academics and practitioners with an interest in martial arts. 8802 8802