ABSTRACT
Since the reform and opening up in the late 1970s, Beijing recognised the importance of religion in society and sought more openly to ensure the prosperity of mainstream religions to serve the purposes of social stability and inter-ethnic harmony. Thanks to this new religious policy, Shaolin Monastery entered a period of revival. State-funded renovations were carried out in the late 1970s and the 1980s to restore Shaolin’s ancient appearance. Shaolin monks began to turn their focus to reviving Shaolin kung fu and Chan Buddhism. A martial arts troupe was founded in 1989 and since then Shaolin monks have performed cross China and around the globe, achieving enormous success. At the same time, religious rituals, services and public events were frequently held at the monastery in an effort to once again grow the influence of Chan Buddhism. Today, Shaolin has been widely recognised as a leading religious institution in China and one of the country’s most popular tourist attractions. The past three decades have also seen the spread of a ‘Shaolin Kung Fu Fever’ across the world.
