Martial arts are combined with meditation in Shaolin Warriors. This Buddhist kung fu show with a Zen Buddhist philosophical element began in China 15 years ago and has been performed in more than 20 countries. It's coming to the Canberra Theatre for two performances on Tuesday and Wednesday.
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Four of the show's 20 performers came to Canberra on Wednesday to provide a preview of what was to come. They demonstrated some of their talents with movements, with weapons such as the nine dot whip and the sword and in the case of Wang Changjiu, demonstrated what 10 years of abdominal and breathing control training could do. Wang put a bowl on his stomach and dared anyone to take it off. Several tried, but all failed, singly and together.
Canberra Times photographic intern Jason Wright, one of those who made the attempt, said, "It felt like I was pulling a brick from a brick wall."
Wang, 28, speaking through interpreter Meng Zhe, said although he had several specialities in the show, including folding himself into a very small shape, the suction bowl challenge was his favourite part, especially when 10 or 20 people were lined up pulling at each other trying to remove the bowl. Since he completed his training, nobody had ever succeeded, he said.
It took a long time to get to that point, though. He began training when he was eight years old.
"From the beginning, I trained from early morning - 5am - until sunset," he said. Nowadays the schedule was a little lighter, beginning in the early morning and finishing in the afternoon.
He said he had been performing for 10 years and this was his first time in Australia.
Also making his Australian debut was Wang Changnian. The 34-year-old practitioner of of the quigong system of breathing and exercise techniques puts it to good use when engaged in such acts as lying on nails then having a block of concrete smashed with hammers on his body.
He said he had been training and studying since he was eight and performing for 15 years.
Meng said Shaolin Warriors was intended to demonstrate the many facets of the culture and that the Shaolin Warriors were intended to be peacemakers, not aggressors.
This will be Shaolin Warriors' third time in Australia and its second in Canberra. It has been sponsored by the China National Arts Fund.
Shaolin Warriors is on at the Canberra Theatre on September 27 and 28 at 7pm. Tickets $76.90-$91.20. canberratheatrecentre.com.au or 62752700.
