Kung fu nuns at Nepal's Amitabha Drukpa Nunnery demonstrate their martial arts skills. It is the only Buddhist monastery in its lineage where women practice martial arts, attracting those who advocate for women's empowerment through Buddhism.
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00:00Kicking and punching while wielding swords, these Kung Fu nuns are back on stage after
00:09their monastery closed for five years during COVID.
00:12And now, hundreds are turning out to see their skills.
00:20The monastery is the only one in its lineage to give nuns equal status as monks, allowing
00:25them to practice martial arts and exercise.
00:29Since its opening in 2009, the monastery has attracted 300 nuns from Bhutan, India
00:34and Nepal, who also want to learn Kung Fu.
00:37We do Kung Fu to maintain our mental and physical fitness, and our purpose is women empowerment
00:44and gender equality.
00:46I really want to become a nun and I have seen that nuns are doing lots of different works
00:51and they also perform the Kung Fu.
00:55And you know, I'm very happy, I'm really attached with them and I really want to become
00:59a nun to help others, like they are helping lots of people at the time also.
01:04That's why I decided to become a nun at a young age.
01:07They also want to achieve enlightenment, the highest state in Buddhism.
01:12But one nun from India says she believes she can also make a difference in her current
01:16cycle of life.
01:17They always say that helping others is our religion.
01:20Whatever is more beneficial for other people, I would like to do that.
01:25We do a lot of self-defense workshops and we do a lot for the environment.
01:30I think that would be my goal for now, coming forward.
01:35The nuns have helped villages recover from natural disasters and hosted environmental
01:39clean-up pilgrimages.
01:41And for every community helped, and every young girl inspired by these Kung Fu nuns,
01:45they may be one step closer to reaching enlightenment.
01:49Scott Huang and Tiffany Huang for Taiwan Plus.
01:54For more UN videos visit www.un.org