The movements and art of the Shaolin Warriors filled the stage at McCain Auditorium Thursday night as part of the McCain Performance Series. The Shaolin Warriors gave the audience a glimpse of Zen philosophy through their ancient art of Kung Fu; but their performance was more than a physical display.

“It’s much more than Kung Fu,” said Todd Holmberg, executive director of McCain. “It’s a fully choreographed, theatrical spectacle with a lot of substance beyond the style.”

Kung Fu has a rich history, reaching back 1,500 years. This history goes back to the Shaolin Temple located near the Chinese providence, Henan. This is where Shaolin Kung Fu began as it was used as a method of self-defense, but the technique is never used aggressively.

A great deal of the Buddhist lifestyle also depends on Zen, or the practice of meditation.

Yucheng Zhan, company manager of the Shaolin Warriors, said meditation is extremely important and helps focus the mind on the chi, or life energy. He said while touring, the performers meditate for an hour before the show and an hour before bed. The meditation gives the performers a mind-over-body thought process, and helps them perform stunts that are extremely painful.

During the show several of the performers balanced on swords, spears, pallets of nails and had steel and wooden rods broken over their heads.

The entire show integrated acrobatics, athleticism and the movements and discipline of Kung Fu. Zhan said the actions of the martial art were organized from watching the movements of many different animals, and he also said the technique is a very graceful one.

Audience interaction played a big part during the performance. At one point in the night, the performers invited children of all ages up onstage and had them imitate their movements. There were several other times audience members were invited up onstage as well.

Sam Lewis, senior in political science and pre-law, said he enjoyed the audience incorporation and seeing the kids onstage.

“I like the professionalism of it as well as the discipline,” Lewis said.

The majority of the Shaolin Warriors were in their early 20s, but two of them were 10 years old. Most of the performers have been training in martial arts since the age of five.

K-State President Kirk Schulz was in attendance, his first time at McCain during the performance series. Schulz said he thought it was very interesting, and he said it was important for people to experience many different kinds of cultures.

“I was interested in the discipline,” he said.

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