A Shaolin Temple outside Lusaka is giving young Zambians a unique opportunity to train in Wushu while gaining an education and experiencing Chinese culture and Buddhist traditions. Located on a 20,000-square-metre site around 18 kilometers north of Zambia’s capital, the complex is considered Africa’s first Shaolin Temple. The cultural center was built with an estimated $6 million in funding from Chinese businessman Jiang Qingde and has become one of the most visible examples of China’s cultural presence in Zambia.

The temple is home to dozens of young students, many of whom come from underprivileged backgrounds. Their daily routine begins as early as 3 a.m. and combines martial arts training, studying and life at the temple under the guidance of four Chinese instructors, as well as Zambian and Ivorian teachers. For some students, Wushu has provided discipline and direction. John Bwalya, now 23, arrived at the temple three years ago after becoming interested in martial arts through films. 

“I grew up watching the Karate Kid movies on TV and told myself I need to learn this thing,” he told AFP. Another student, Saulo Woonga, was sent to the temple by his mother after getting into a fight. “I was beating another guy. So, my mum decided that, you need to go in the Shaolin temple,” he recalled.

The students say their time at the temple has transformed their lives in different ways. Mathews Mafulu, who has lived there for five years, said Wushu helped him overcome bullying and laziness, describing himself as now “jacked up, creative and a little strong.” He also views the presence of Chinese instructors as an opportunity for cultural exchange rather than interference.

“It’s not like the Chinese they are taking over Zambia,” Mafulu said. “It’s like exchanging cultures. We are learning new things from the Chinese and we are also teaching them new things of Africa.”

The temple’s students have also gained a significant following online, with videos of their early-morning training, acrobatics, Wushu routines and dragon dances attracting millions of views on TikTok and Douyin. Among its most recognizable figures is 26-year-old Ronald Mwale, who speaks Mandarin and uses the Chinese name Hang Shao. He has travelled to China four times and has more than 615,000 TikTok followers. Although he initially had little interest in China beyond martial arts, his ambitions have expanded to acting. He has already appeared in a film released on YouTube and hopes to follow the path of performers from Henan province, the historic home of Shaolin Kung Fu and Zen Buddhism.

Beyond martial arts and social media, the temple has become a place where young people can build discipline, confidence and new aspirations for their futures. Instructors believe the experience can provide opportunities for students who might otherwise have limited prospects. For Yan Chen, who arrived in Zambia in 2022 after growing up in a poor community in China, the purpose of the temple extends beyond teaching martial arts.

 “It gives them hope for their lives,” he said.

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