This is one of the most famous and largest wushu schools in China. Shaolin Tagou Wushu School is located inside the Shaolin Temple area, just a few meters from the temple itself. They actually have two schools in the area: one inside the temple grounds and another one outside. The school inside the temple was built after the Jet Li movie Shaolin Temple became famous. For those who don’t know, this is the movie that made wushu training popular again.
Tagou was the first wushu school of its kind and, at its peak, had more than 30,000 students. In the last couple of years, wushu has become less popular in China and many martial arts schools have disappeared. Check out Wushu Main for more information about wushu training.
What They Offer
Most Chinese students at Shaolin Tagou practice competitive modern wushu, competitive traditional wushu, or Chinese sanda. When I say competitive traditional wushu, I mean traditional styles without the old-style training that focuses on applications.
A competitive traditional monkey style form, for example, is something you perform in a competition or demonstration. Students don’t really learn the applications anymore. If a martial artist later decides to focus only on monkey style, he will usually research the applications after mastering the modern techniques.
Foreign Student Program
Unfortunately, the foreign student program is very touristy. Shaolin Tagou is one of the most expensive wushu schools in China, partly because of its location. Their Chinese students are very good, but it feels like the foreign student program exists mainly for the money.
You will not train together with Chinese students. Instead, they select a coach who speaks some English and put you together with about 25 other foreigners, teaching basic kicks and arm circles, usually at the hotel. If you are really just a tourist, that might be fine.
Who I Recommend This School To
If you have never practiced wushu before and want to take your first steps while visiting the Shaolin Temple, this is a good place to check out. If you are Asian and speak Chinese, consider training at Tagou, but avoid the English-speaking crowd and the foreign student program.
If you are not Asian but speak fluent Chinese, you can also try Tagou, but again, you should avoid the foreign student program. I found that side a bit unfriendly. The Chinese-speaking coaches and leaders, however, are very friendly.
Don’t go there if you have practiced wushu for a long time but don’t speak much Chinese, or if you don’t have a strong character.
If you want to prepare for a wushu or Shaolin show, Tagou Wushu School is definitely the right place. They prepare Shaolin shows all the time, and they really rock at it.
Accommodation
The school’s hotel is not worth the money. They charged us 160 yuan (about 25 USD) for a cold room that clearly hadn’t been cleaned properly in a long time. They had internet and Chinese TV, but no hot water. Technically, there is hot water when the sun shines, but in autumn it can get very cold.
The Food
I have to admit, I loved the food. Even though the main restaurant didn’t look very clean, the dishes were some of the best I had in China. You pay about 40 yuan for a big fish for two people and around 15 yuan for eggs with onions.
There are also small restaurants around the hotel. That’s where most of the Chinese students eat. The food there is good as well and much cheaper.
How to Get There
First, go to Zhengzhou, the capital of Henan province. From there, take a bus to Dengfeng, which takes about three hours. From the bus station, you can take a taxi to the Shaolin Temple.
If you bring your suitcase and plan to stay in the school’s hotel for a few days, you don’t have to pay the 100 yuan entrance fee. Just go straight to the entrance without a ticket, with your suitcase, and say “Tagou Wushu School.” The school is about 200 meters from the entrance.
If you do pay the entrance fee, you can watch a Shaolin show and walk into the inner temple area.
Final Words
There is a big misunderstanding about traditional wushu and kung fu. Many foreigners think they will start learning lots of applications right away and then, over time, move like Jackie Chan in his old movies. The truth is that nowadays nobody starts with applications. Very few people even know them.
Shaolin Tagou Wushu School is in a difficult position here. People go there expecting old-style traditional kung fu, but the school was built when modern wushu was born. They do try to preserve traditional styles, but with a modern approach. At most schools in China, traditional wushu styles aren’t taught at all.
There is a reason why training doesn’t start with traditional applications. Acrobatics and difficult movements are much easier to learn when you are young. If you waste your youth only on applications, you will never be able to perform the acrobatics. The usual path is modern wushu first, then modern traditional styles, and only later, when you are older, researching traditional applications. That’s how real masters are created today. Don’t start with intensive application training if you are young. Take your time and build your basics and acrobatics first.
On the other hand, some foreigners don’t come to China to learn the basics of modern wushu. If you just want to visit the Shaolin Temple and learn a few Shaolin kung fu techniques, you will probably go home disappointed. I’m not saying you shouldn’t visit, but make sure they understand exactly what you want.
A beginner has to stretch and run for months before real training even starts. So if you are a tourist with only a few days for fun and martial arts, keep that in mind. They don’t always have someone available to teach real traditional kung fu.
Pictures
Zhengzhou Train Station
At the entrance of the Shaolin Temple
Entering Tagou Wushu School – you will pay at least 160 yuan for a room in this “Dharma Hall” building in the back
The school and Songshan seen from the hotel room
Another view from the window
The hotel room – looks nicer than it is
The bathroom at the Tagou Wushu School hotel
Another picture inside the hotel
A student from the Shaolin demo team demonstrating his self-created Drunken Staff form. These guys are very good
A beginners’ class training inside the school
The guys in the background are from one of the better teams, practicing acrobatics. If you look closely, you’ll see one guy in the air
The old training yard, where shows for the 2008 Beijing Olympics were prepared. This place is quite famous
Random picture inside the school
Students withdrawing cash
A class practicing wushu in front of the hotel
The hotel restaurant. The food here rocks
Did I mention that the food rocks?
Suggestions
Wushu Main Page
Wushu Videos
More Schools and Training Camps
The only shoe you’ll ever need. Ideal for wushu and acrobatics on hard ground, and perfect for overall foot health.
#barefootshow
#wideshoebox
