Beanji in Shaolin: Kung Fu, Stillness & the Way of Tea

 

Beanji in Shaolin: Kung Fu, Stillness & the Way of Tea

Not all great journeys start with a plane. Some begin with a bow.
When Beanji arrived at the Shaolin Temple, nestled in the foggy mountains of central China, he wasn't here to fight. He was here to listen. To sip. To learn. The monks welcomed him in silence — and handed him a cup of tea.

🥋 Stop #1: The Tea of Focus (Morning Training)

Before the first punch is thrown, before the first stance is taken — the monks of Shaolin begin their day with tea.
Beanji was handed a small bowl of bright green tea. Grassy. Bitter. Alive.

“We don’t drink for taste,” said the monk beside him.
“We drink for attention.”

After a single sip, the monks moved like flowing wind — fists sharp, legs grounded. Beanji tried to mimic the moves… and immediately fell on his back. The monks didn’t laugh. They offered him another cup — and another chance.

He trained until the steam in his paws matched the steam rising from the mountain.

🍃 Stop #2: Gongfu Tea & the Art of Control

Later, in a wooden courtyard shaded by pines, Beanji was invited to a Gongfu Cha session. Not just a tea brew — but a martial art of its own.
Each gesture was precise. The way the pot was lifted. The arc of water. The timing.

He watched the monk pour oolong into a Yixing teapot, then rinse, pour, and present the cup.

“This is fighting without fighting,” Beanji said.
“Everything flows.”

His first sip: deep, roasted, smooth. His thoughts slowed to match the rhythm of the leaves.

🧘 Stop #3: Breathwork & Bitter Leaves (Tea Meditation)

In the meditation hall, the only sound was breathing. Tea bowls sat beside each monk — filled with aged pu-erh. Dark, earthy, almost smoky.
The monks drank in silence, one breath before and one breath after each sip.

Beanji sat cross-legged, eyes closed. He followed the pattern.
Sip. Breathe. Listen. Sip.
And slowly, he felt something new: not energy… but stillness.

⚡ Stop #4: Tea & the Tiger Form

That evening, under torchlight, Beanji was taught the Tiger Form — one of the temple’s oldest Kung Fu styles. It was fierce, fast, and grounded in power.
But first? More tea.

“Even tigers drink before they leap,” the master said.

Beanji practiced the form, his movements sharper with each round. At the end, soaked in sweat but smiling, he sat down and sipped.
His tea tasted stronger now. So did he.

🐼 Beanji’s Shaolin Wisdom

“In Shaolin, tea is not a break from practice.
It is the practice.
Each cup builds strength, clarity, and stillness — not just in the body, but in the soul.”

🛍️ Explore More:

→ Read more sacred sips at: teaandcoffeoftheworld.blogspot.com
→ Shop pu-erh, oolong, and Gongfu tea tools at: teaandcoffeworld.myshopify.com