Shaolin disciples in white training uniforms perform a staff-form drill in unison in the courtyard of the Shaolin Temple Cultural Centre, Lusaka, with the red and gold entrance gate behind them.
Lusaka, Zambia · Est. 2021

Shaolin Kung Fu,
taught in Zambia.

A cultural centre outside Lusaka where Zambian children and adults train in traditional Chinese martial arts, language, and discipline. It was built in partnership with the Songshan Shaolin Temple in Henan, China.

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Our Story

The first Shaolin cultural centre in Africa.

Construction began in 2019 and finished in 2021. The centre opened in Ngwerere, just outside Lusaka, as a joint project between China's Songshan Shaolin Temple and Hua'an Zambia, a Chinese-run company based in the country.

Four monks travelled from Songshan to teach here full-time. Today the centre is led by Headmaster Yan Lun, alongside Master Yan Ming. Many in Zambia know him as Max Yollando, a martial artist originally from Côte d'Ivoire who trained at Songshan for six years before taking up his post in Lusaka.

Students learn Shaolin kung fu, Mandarin, and traditional Chinese culture. Since opening, the centre has also taken in orphaned and vulnerable children alongside its paying students. For them, it is both a school and a home.

The People

A bridge between two cultures

Master Yan Ming, known to many as Max Yollando, is the only African-born monk teaching at the centre. Raised in Côte d'Ivoire, he travelled to China in 2015 and spent six years training at the Songshan Shaolin Temple before returning to Africa to teach.

"The Abbot hoped I could become a bridge between Chinese and African cultures. That's why I came here."

Master Yan Ming (Max Yollando)

The main hall of the Shaolin Temple Cultural Centre Zambia, a red and gold Chinese-style building with a statue in the courtyard in front, under an overcast sky.

Note: swap in a portrait photograph of Master Yan Ming once sourced. The architectural shot above is a placeholder for this slot.

Community

More than training

Since opening, the centre has taken in orphaned and vulnerable children alongside its paying students. They train, study Mandarin, attend school, and play football together.

2021

Year the Centre Opened

Construction ran from 2019 to 2021, opening in December that year in Ngwerere, Lusaka.

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Resident Monks & Instructors

Teachers from Songshan Shaolin Temple, including Headmaster Yan Lun and Master Yan Ming, live and teach on site.

Open

To All Backgrounds

Training is open to Zambians and visitors of any nationality. No one community is given priority.

Wide architectural view of the Shaolin Temple Cultural Centre Zambia's main hall, with its red, gold, and yellow Chinese temple-style roofline, set against an overcast Zambian sky.

The Grounds

Built in the architectural style of the Songshan Shaolin Temple, recreated in Ngwerere, Lusaka.

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Plan a Visit

The centre welcomes visitors, school groups, and tourists to see training sessions and demonstrations. Get in touch ahead of time to confirm timing.

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Enrol a Child or Join as an Adult

Training is open to Zambian children and adults, as well as international students. Reach out to ask about places, fees, and what to bring to a first session.

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