Zen Music Shaolin Grand Ceremony

A symphony of martial arts, music, dance and religion comes alive nightly in the valley of Song Mountain, where Zen (Chan) Buddhism originated, and the 1,500-year-old Shaolin Temple is located. It’s an outdoor light-and-sound show featuring a cast of 500, including monks from the world-renowned temple and local folk. The troupe presents five movements - water, wood, wind, light and stone - to symbolise the spirit of Zen, the meditative form of Mahayana Buddhism. As lone monks meditate in different spots of the natural backdrop throughout the spectacle, scenes of life in ancient China are played out: grinning children perform flips, maidens wash clothes by the stream, goatherds herd their flock, and serene ladies play music.