SHI YAN XIU (UK)
Fan Qiang (Shi Yan Xiu) was born in Anhui, China in 1983. He showed a great interest and natural ability for Kung Fu from an early age and with his parents' approval and support he joined the Shaolin temple at the age of six.
After 11 years of extensive training in the Shaolin Martial Arts, he was officially accepted as a disciple of Shi Yong Xin, the Abbot of Shaolin temple. He was given the spiritual name Shi Yan Xiu and became one of the 34th generation of Shaolin apprentices.
He dedicated many years to training and teaching in the martial arts and eventually in 2004 he was promoted to chief instructor of Shaolin Kung Fu.
He has participated in performances worldwide and entered numerous tournaments and international competitions, successfully achieving top honours and the gold medal. During the 1997 handover of Hong Kong to China, he represented the Shaolin temple in martial art demonstrations. The following year he joined a cultural exchange program comprised of warrior monks in which he performed in over 50 countries.
His humility and great aptitude for the Shaolin arts was recognised by Shi Yan Zhen, (one of the most highly respected masters of Shaolin Medicine today) and under his guidance, Shi Yan Xiu trained in all aspects of Shaolin medicine, primarily focusing on the art of Tui Na in which he is now a highly skilled practitioner.
Shifu Yan Xiu currently resides in London dividing his time between teaching Shaolin martial arts and practising Tui Na. His ultimate wish is to continue to preserve and promote authentic Shaolin Kung Fu and philosophy through classes and performances.