Retreats
2027 Retreats and Events
Gulun Kung Fu Zen and Internal Arts Retreat with Ben Lucas
18–23 January 2027 · Shaolin Temple Europe
A silent, phone-free meditation retreat combining seated Chan meditation, standing meditation, empty stance (Xū Zhuāng 虚桩), and the five foundational stances of Gulun Kung Fu (Wǔ Bù Zhuāng Gōng 五步桩功). Open to complete beginners and experienced practitioners alike.
Gulun Kung Fu Ba Duan Jin and Meditation Retreat with Ben Lucas
23–30 January 2027 · Shaolin Temple Europe
A quiet winter retreat dedicated to standing and seated Gulun Bā Duàn Jǐn (八段锦), Dao Yin internal nourishment, hip-opening for meditation, and Chan stillness. Open to complete beginners and experienced practitioners.
Yi Jin Jing Retreat
2–16 April 2027 · China
A two-week immersion in China dedicated to Yì Jīn Jīng (易筋经) practice alongside daily standing and seated meditation. Details to follow.
Gulun Kung Fu Pan Gen and Internal Conditioning Retreat with Ben Lucas
13–18 September 2027 · Shaolin Temple Europe
A focused week dedicated to the Pán Gēn (盘根, Twisting Root) form, internal kung fu leg conditioning, progressive jump training, and systematic flexibility for martial arts and meditation. Open to complete beginners and experienced practitioners.
Gulun Kung Fu with Grandmaster Wu Nanfang
29 August–3 September 2027 · Shaolin Temple Europe
A week learning the complete foundations of internal Shaolin Kung Fu directly from 31st-generation Shaolin lineage holder Grandmaster Wu Nanfang, supported by Ben Lucas. Open to complete beginners and practitioners from other traditions.
Gulun Kung Fu Intermediate and Advanced Intensive with Grandmaster Wu Nanfang
6–11 September 2027 · Shaolin Temple Europe
An intensive week of foundational refinement and advanced form transmission with Grandmaster Wu Nanfang, with Lóng Xíng Gōng (龙形功, Dragon Form) as the focus. Open only to students who have completed the Gulun foundations and maintain a stable practice.
Teacher Training Certification Meeting
10–12 October 2027 · Location to be announced
A three-day teacher training certification meeting. Training towards certification depends on readiness, and attendance does not guarantee qualification. Details to follow.
Ullambana Festival
28 August 2027
Special Workshop with Shi Heng Yi and Master Wu Nanfang
4–5 September 2027 · Two-day workshop
About the Teachers
Grandmaster Wu Nanfang is a 31st-generation Shaolin lineage holder and fifth-generation inheritor of the Wu Gulun tradition. He is the teacher of Shi Heng Yi and Ben Lucas and has more than fifty years of practice. As he teaches his students: "We practise Chan, not Quan" (Zen, not fist-fighting).
Ben Lucas lives in China and has trained one-on-one with Grandmaster Wu Nanfang since September 2024, the first Westerner to do so. His background includes seven years in Chinese martial arts, over a decade of meditation and more than 200 days on silent and darkness retreats, with experience across Theravada, Zen and Tibetan Buddhist practice. A former Goldman Sachs lawyer, he coaches people on bringing meditation and martial practice into everyday life.
Continuing Your Practice
Prepare for a retreat and continue practising at home through our online programme, which includes foundational practice, flexibility, leg conditioning, and a free introduction.
Past Retreats Archive (2026)
Historical programme information from our 2026 retreats in China and Europe for reference.
Chan and Kung Fu Retreat · 10–24 October 2026 · Gulun Chan Academy, Songshan Mountain
The October 2026 two-week programme at the Gulun Chan Academy in Dengfeng covered daily standing meditation, seated meditation, Gulun Kung Fu basics, Bā Duàn Jǐn, evening talks on where Chan and Kung Fu meet, and weekend excursions to Shaolin Temple, Bodhidharma's cave, and the birthplace of Wu Gulun.
Europe Retreats · August 2026 · Germany [Sold Out]
The August 2026 European programme marked Shifu Wu Nanfang's first teaching tour outside China, including the 3–9 August 2026 retreat near Stuttgart alongside Shi Yan Lu covering Shaolin basic training, technique, and Gulun Kung Fu forms.