NBA star Wembanyama spent 13 days training at Shaolin Temple, learning kung fu, meditating, climbing to Dharma Cave at night, and noticeably improving his basketball ability.
Teacher Liu, I saw a news story saying NBA star Wembanyama went to Shaolin Temple to learn kung fu. Is that true?
It’s true! Last summer, he stayed at Shaolin Temple for 13 days, got up at 4:30 every morning, and trained with the masters.
Wow, 4:30! That early? Why did he go to Shaolin Temple?
He wanted to improve his body coordination and focus. He is 2.24 meters tall, so running and jumping on uneven mountain paths was very challenging for him.
2.24 meters! So tall. What kung fu did he learn?
He learned “Shaolin Thirteen Fists” and also practiced seated meditation. The master said he learned very quickly: once his right hand learned it, his left hand could do it right away too.
That’s amazing! I heard Shaolin Temple is an important place for Chan Buddhism and has a long history, right?
Yes! Shaolin Temple has a history of more than 1,500 years, and “the unity of Chan and martial arts” is at the core of Shaolin culture. Wembanyama came here to seek answers because of that.
This story really moves me. A world-class athlete was willing to shave his head, eat vegetarian food, and live in a simple room. He was truly serious.
Yes. The master said he promised before leaving that he would come again next year. That shows Shaolin culture had a deep influence on him. Sometimes, calming down and understanding yourself is more important than training desperately.
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