ABSTRACT
After the establishment of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, the Communist government established tight control over religious institutions to serve the interests of the state. All the land owned by Shaolin was confiscated and distributed to local farmers. Religion came to be regarded as part of feudal culture and considered something that should be abolished. Shaolin declined accordingly. During the Cultural Revolution (1966–1976), the state encouraged the people to declare war against feudalism by abandoning traditional ideas and practices. Religious institutions became prime targets for the rebels. The Shaolin monks were abused by rebels and they were forced to stop performing rituals. While Shaolin Monastery was struggling to survive in mainland China, Shaolin kung fu culture developed through wuxia novels and movies produced in Hong Kong. From the early 1970s, an increasing number of Shaolin martial arts movies were produced, most of which were based on fictional rebellions by the Shaolin monks against the Manchu government, expressing a strong sense of Han nationalism and reflecting the political reality of Hong Kong. Empowered by kung fu, Shaolin was infused with political and cultural significance and evolved as a unique representation of the Chinese nation.
