This is the moment a group of robots perform kung fu alongside Shaolin warrior monks in a routine filmed at the famous temple complex in China.

The footage was recorded at the Shaolin Temple on Mount Song (Songshan) in Dengfeng, Henan Province, China, and was confirmed on 5th February to be part of a programme for the upcoming 2026 Henan Spring Festival Gala.

Video shows multiple robots practising martial arts moves outside the temple, including punches, kicks and horse stance positions, moving in coordination with young kung fu performers. The robots also perform drunken boxing-style gestures and spinning kicks as monks train beside them.

A staff member said the activity was not arranged by the scenic area itself but was part of the filming of a Spring Festival Gala programme.

The production team confirmed the performance is not a tourist attraction project but a segment scheduled to air.

Robots and Shaolin monks practice martial arts at Shaolin Temple in Songshan, Henan Province in China. The videos were shared on Douyin - the Chinese version of TikTok on Feb. 4, 2026. Note: Photo is a screenshot from the video (AsiaWire)

According to the programme’s director, the filmed piece focuses on “robot kung fu” and is designed to showcase how robots adapt to martial arts movements, formations and scale. The production took around half a month to prepare and will feature about 20 robots.

The programme, titled “Galloping Horses Surge Forward – 2026 Henan Spring Festival Gala,” will air on 14th February.

(Aloysius Fernandes /Asiawire)