Martial arts training for women is very common in China

For most nunneries, the initial interest in kung fu comes from the need for nuns to know self-defense when they travel from the nunnery. The training allows the nuns to be self-sufficient and discourages violence toward women in general. Martial arts practice strengthens the mind and body, making it easier to sit in meditation for 6 - 8 hours a day. Their quality of life is improved, as they become happier and healthier.

In addition, the women in modern-day nunneries are empowered and more equal to the male practitioners than in ancient times.

There are very few existing formal historical documents about nunneries and their martial training. However, you can find more information from martial arts novels written in ancient times. We can trust the novels to be historically correct to some degree, and they give us an idea of life at that time. Click to learn how Chinese medicine treats Sleep Apnea Syndrome.

Martial arts training for women is very common in the traditional Chinese martial arts society. I would suppose that in ancient times, about 30% of martial artists were women. Martial arts training in Chinese nunneries were not uncommon though they were not as widespread as in monasteries. From martial history and legends we know that the levels of martial art skill that nuns had reached were similar to that of monks. Famous nunneries which had martial arts training were located in Qingcheng Mountain and Emei Mountain in Sichuan Province.

One of the most well-known nuns who reached a very high level was Wumei during Chinese Qing Dynasty. Wumei's original laymen name was Lu, Siliang and she was from a famous nunnery called White Cloud Nunnery in Yunnan Province. Wumei was known for her White Crane martial arts and was also known to be the teacher of Yan, Yongchun another famous female martial artist. Yongchun has been one of the most popular styles spreading around Canton and Hong Kong and was the style learned by the famous martial arts movie star, Bruce Lee. Most of the styles taught in Chinese nunneries were either from Shaolin or Wudang. For example, Wumei's martial arts were of Shaolin linkage.