USA Shaolin Temple

What USA Shaolin Temple does

USA Shaolin Temple is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1994 by 34th Generation Shaolin Temple Warrior Monk Shi Yan Ming, headquartered at 102 Allen Street in Manhattan, New York City. The temple delivers instruction in traditional Shaolin martial arts—Kung Fu (Gongfu), Taiji Quan (Tai Chi), and Qigong—alongside Chan (Zen) Buddhist philosophy and meditation, taught under a proprietary approach Shi Yan Ming terms "action meditation." Core disciplines include Yijinjing (Muscle Tendon Changing Sutra), Ba Duan Jin (Eight Section Brocade), and Xi Sui Jing, taught through in-person classes at the NYC headquarters, a retreat site in Fleischmanns, NY (Catskills), and digitally via Patreon livestreams (125+ archived classes) and the usashaolintemple.online course platform.

The organization operates a global branch network spanning 7 countries—the US headquarters plus branches in Austria (Vienna and Steyr), Mexico (Mexico City and Cancun), Trinidad and Tobago, South Africa, Chile, and Argentina—coordinated by senior disciples and supplemented by school and corporate engagement programs. Revenue is generated through a diversified mix of recurring class tuition, one-on-one private lessons with Shifu, an annual four-day Warrior Monk Retreat priced at $650 per participant (2024), Patreon subscriptions, calligraphy art and merchandise sales, donations, and fee-based or pro bono school and corporate seminars. The temple maintains direct lineage ties to the Henan Shaolin Temple in China and is led by its founder, who serves as Abbot, with no parent company, venture capital, or private equity backing.

Name

USA Shaolin Temple

Legal name

USA Shaolin Temple

Website

https://usashaolintemple.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

USA Shaolin Temple is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1994 by 34th Generation Shaolin Warrior Monk Shi Yan Ming, delivering authentic Shaolin martial arts and Chan Buddhism instruction in NYC and across 7-country global branches, online courses, and annual retreats.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Martial Arts Instruction

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

akta.pro primary industry

Traditional Martial Arts Schools (Karate, Taekwondo, Kung Fu, etc.) (HSADADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Buddhist Monastic Universities & Dharma Colleges (EDAHAKAK), Guided Meditation Instruction (1:1 & Group) (HSADAJAA), Yoga & Meditation Experiences (Studio Classes, Guided Meditation, Mindfulness) (THAJAHAA)

Keywords

• Martial arts instruction
• Tai chi classes
• Qigong training
• Buddhist meditation
• Wellness retreats

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. In-Person Class Fees: Tuition for regular Kung Fu, Tai Chi, Qigong, and Chan Buddhism classes at the NYC temple. Classes are open to students of all backgrounds, religions, ages, and athletic ability.
2. Private Lessons: One-on-one private lessons with Shifu Shi Yan Ming, priced at a premium. Shifu is also available for media appearances, speaking at seminars, and corporate workshops.
3. Annual Warrior Monk Retreats: All-inclusive 4-day Memorial Day weekend retreats held in Fleischmanns, NY (Catskills Mountains). Includes lodging, meals, and all training. Priced at $650 per participant (2024 rate). Previously offered at $500-$550 (2020 rate).
4. Online Courses & Patreon Livestreams: Shifu's Shaolin Martial Arts online courses via usashaolintemple.online and Patreon livestream access offering 125+ previously streamed classes of qi gong, taiji quan, weapons, forms, calligraphy and more. Weekly new classes released on Patreon.
5. Merchandise & Calligraphy Store: The temple store sells merchandise and Shifu's hand-painted Chinese calligraphy art (custom to order, stamped with Guan Yin Imperial Jade seal).
6. Donations: 501(3)c nonprofit organization accepting donations to support temple operations, free classes for under-resourced schools, and maintenance of Shaolin land. Donation campaigns target AAPI Heritage Month and general support.
7. School Visits & Corporate Seminars: Fee-based or donated cultural experience sessions for schools (Kung Fu, Chan Buddhism, Shaolin History) and organization seminars. Carbon38 brand ambassador seminars are an example of corporate engagement.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

USA Shaolin Temple is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that teaches authentic Shaolin martial arts (Kung Fu, Tai Chi, Qigong) and Chan (Zen) Buddhist philosophy through in-person classes at its NYC headquarters, an annual multi-day retreat in upstate New York, private lessons, school and corporate seminars, online courses, and a Patreon livestream subscription. Training is delivered under the direct lineage of 34th Generation Shifu Shi Yan Ming and follows the proprietary "Action Meditation" methodology that integrates martial arts movement with Chan meditation.

Product overview

USA Shaolin Temple is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1994 by 34th Generation Shaolin Temple Warrior Monk Shifu Shi Yan Ming. The organization offers a comprehensive portfolio of traditional Shaolin martial arts and philosophy training services, centered on the core disciplines of Kung Fu (Gongfu), Taiji Quan (Tai Chi), and Qigong (Chi Kung), as well as Chan Buddhism instruction. Training is delivered through in-person classes at the NYC temple and upstate retreat facility, private lessons, school visit programs, and digital channels including online courses and Patreon livestreams. The organization also sells merchandise including calligraphy art and operates a donation program to support its nonprofit mission.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Kung Fu / Gongfu Classes In-person traditional Shaolin Kung Fu (Gongfu) training at the NYC temple location, taught as action meditation by Shifu Shi Yan Ming. Open to students of all backgrounds, religions, ages, and athletic ability.
• Private Lessons with Shifu Shi Yan Ming One-to-one personalized instruction with Shifu Shi Yan Ming for students seeking individual attention. Shifu is also available for media appearances, speaking engagements, and corporate workshops.
• Chan Buddhism Classes Instruction in Ch'an (Zen) Buddhist philosophy and meditation practices rooted in the teachings of Bodhidharma.
• Taiji Quan (Tai Chi) Classes Traditional Tai Chi (Taiji Quan) instruction as part of the Shaolin disciplines offered at the NYC temple.
• Qigong (Chi Kung) Classes Breathing and energy cultivation exercises (Qigong/Chi Kung) for health, wellness, and Chi Kung practice.
• Online Courses (usashaolintemple.online) Shifu's Shaolin Martial Arts online courses designed to increase flexibility, cardiovascular health, immune function, and calm the mind, with practice available anytime, anywhere.
• Patreon Livestreams Weekly Shaolin training livestream classes accessible via Patreon, with 125+ previously streamed classes covering qi gong, taiji quan, weapons, forms, and calligraphy.
• Warrior Monk Retreats Annual multi-day all-inclusive retreats at the upstate New York Catskills Mountains location (Fleischmanns, NY), featuring intensive Kung Fu, Tai Chi, Qigong, and Chan Buddhism training with Shifu Shi Yan Ming. Priced at $650 per participant (2024).
• School Visits / Classroom Field Trips Cultural immersion programs bringing Shaolin martial arts and philosophy to schools, including mini-history lessons and basic Shaolin movements for students. Free during AAPI Heritage Month for under-resourced schools.
• Seminars (Corporate & Educational) Educational seminars on Shaolin martial arts and philosophy, including corporate workshops and speaking engagements for organizations and media.
• Shifu's Chinese Calligraphy Art Hand-painted-to-order Chinese calligraphy art pieces, each one of a kind, coming with Shifu's signature Guan Yin Imperial Jade stamp.
• Temple Store / Merchandise Online store offering Shaolin Temple merchandise and calligraphy art.
• Donations Program 501(c)(3) nonprofit donation program supporting Ch'an philosophy lessons, temple maintenance, free classes for under-resourced schools, and community programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• Shifu's 1-inch punch recorded as more powerful than a car at 35mph on History Channel's Stan Lee's Super Humans
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Jorge Britto (BJJ Professional)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018BJJ professional Jorge Britto interacted with Shifu and Bokeem Woodbine during filming for an upcoming martial arts film project at the Toronto Film Festival in 2018.
• Carbon38minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2018USA Shaolin Temple hosted Carbon38's brand ambassadors (Radio City Rockettes, fitness influencers, professional dancers, etc.) for a seminar where Shifu shared Shaolin philosophies and action meditation. Carbon38 is a leading luxury active apparel company.
• Henan Shaolin Temple (China)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1994Direct lineage connection to the original Shaolin Temple in Henan, China. Shi Yan Ming maintains close contact with his fellow Henan Shaolin Temple monks. The temple aims to set up a cultural exchange that will allow fellow Shaolin monks to come to America and teach Shaolin martial arts and Buddhism. Great Master Shi Yongxin (Henan Shaolin Temple) led a delegation to Toronto in June 1995 that Shi Yan Ming performed with.
• Lennon Bus TourminorGTM or Marketing PartnerShifu was invited to speak at the NYC stop of the Lennon Bus Tour, founded in honor of John Lennon. He appeared alongside Yoko Ono, Ringo Starr, Actor Jeff Bridges, and the Mayor of NYC to inspire youth toward peace and creativity.
• Rubin Museum of ArtminorGTM or Marketing PartnerShifu Shi Yan Ming spoke at the Rubin Museum's Brainwave Festival alongside Dr. Tracy Dennis (Professor of Psychology, Hunter College) on 'Action Meditation and its effect on the human brain.' The Rubin Museum is a leading cultural institution for Himalayan art and Buddhist philosophy.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Blue Osa Yoga Retreat (Costa Rica): Boutique international yoga and wellness retreat operator. Comparable to USA Shaolin Temple's Warrior Monk Retreat product in terms of all-inclusive pricing, multi-day immersive format, and premium positioning in the wellness retreat category.
• MNDFL Meditation Studios: US-based group meditation studio chain offering guided meditation instruction (1:1 and group). Comparable to USA Shaolin Temple's Chan Buddhism / meditation classes and represents the secular, scalable peer to the temple's faith-rooted offering.

Direct peers

• USA Wushu Center: US-based wushu and kung fu training organization offering competitive and traditional instruction. Comparable to USA Shaolin Temple as a domestic destination for serious Chinese martial arts students, though without the Buddhist monastery overlay.
• Dr. Paul Lam's Tai Chi for Health Institute: Globally distributed Tai Chi instruction organization with certified instructors and digital curriculum. Comparable to USA Shaolin Temple's Taiji Quan and Qigong classes and its Patreon-style online distribution model, though specializing in health-focused Tai Chi rather than martial lineage.
• Shaolin Kung Fu Training Center (Los Angeles): LA-based traditional Shaolin training center also claiming authentic Shaolin lineage and operating school visit programs. Direct competitor for traditional Shaolin students in major US metros and for school cultural education contracts.
• Wing Lam Kung Fu (San Francisco): Established San Francisco kung fu school with multiple instructors and online content distribution. Comparable as a US Chinese martial arts brand with digital teaching infrastructure, though specializing in Northern Shaolin and weapons rather than Chan Buddhist integration.

Others

• Calm (meditation app): Mass-market digital meditation and mindfulness subscription platform. Comparable as a digital recurring-revenue channel competing for the same consumer mind-body dollars as USA Shaolin Temple's Patreon livestreams and online courses.

Regional players

• Shaolin Temple Europe (Germany): Official Shaolin-affiliated temple and training center in Europe. Comparable to USA Shaolin Temple's Austria branch in lineage, structure, and offering, though serving the European rather than American market.

Broad incumbents

• Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health: Large US nonprofit wellness and retreat center offering residential programs in yoga, meditation, and holistic health. Comparable to USA Shaolin Temple's all-inclusive retreat product and school/corporate wellness outreach, though in a broader mind-body tradition.
• Shaolin Temple (Henan, China): The original 1500-year-old Shaolin Temple at the source of Shi Yan Ming's lineage. Direct institutional comparison: defines what "authentic Shaolin" means and sets the doctrinal and martial arts standard that USA Shaolin Temple's teachings are benchmarked against.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/usashaolin
• Facebookfacebook.com/usashaolintemple
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/usa-shaolin-temple

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about USA Shaolin Temple