Trending in Shaolin: China’s gongfu monks draw fans online but also raise eyebrows

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DENGFENG, Henan - Shaolin warrior monk Yan Cong spends his days preparing meals for his seniors, attending Buddhism classes and practising martial arts, with training sessions that can last for hours on end. But the 20-year-old monk, who was ordained in April, will still find time to update his Douyin account. On the short-video platform, he shares with his 25,000 followers snippets of his life at China’s most famous monastery, including videos of himself performing martial arts moves with sticks and spears or just his bare fists.