What you would practise
Shaolin schools teach external martial arts: stances, kicks, forms and conditioning, often with sanda or weapons. Days are physical, with several hours of training and a lot of repeated basics.
Wudang schools centre on tai chi, qigong and Daoist internal arts, adding weapons and longer forms for longer stays. Days often begin with qigong or meditation and move at a slower pace.
Where you would be
Schools teaching Shaolin kung fu are spread across Henan, Shandong, Hebei and Jiangsu, and many of the best known are in Dengfeng, below Song Mountain. They are independent of the Shaolin Temple even when they teach its style.
Wudang schools sit around the Wudang Mountains in Hubei, often near Daoist palaces such as Purple Heaven Palace or Yuzhen Palace. Living near a temple does not mean the temple runs the school.
How long to stay
You can try either for a week. Qufu and Xiaolong sell one-week stays, and at Wudang both Master Tang’s academy and the Wudang Taoist Wellness Academy take students for a week. Gulun Chanyuan near Dengfeng asks for at least two weeks.
A week shows you the routine; learning a complete form usually takes longer. The Wudang Daoist Traditional Kungfu Academy lists single forms as courses of five to twenty days.
Which to choose
Choose Shaolin if you want a demanding physical routine and do not mind sore legs in the first week. Choose Wudang if you want slower movement, breathing practice and time for Daoist culture.
Both have schools with English support. Compare prices and schools in our guides, or tell us your dates and we will ask the schools for you.
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