Who was Qiu Feng, China’s ‘most handsome Shaolin monk’ who died in car crash?

Zhejiang, China

Qiu Feng, China's "most handsome Shaolin monk" died in a car accident. He was on his way to a charity performance last week when his taxi met with a fatal accident on the Zhejiang Zhuyong Expressway in Zhejiang province in east China.

According to reports, Qiu's vehicle crashed into a large lorry, killing the taxi driver instantly and injuring Qiu on his head severely. He succumbed to his injuries the next evening. The investigation is underway by the police and a lawyer has been hired by Qiu’s family.

Who was Qiu Feng?

The young monk was only 21 and was a 34th-generation monk from the Shaolin Temple. He began training in martial arts at the age of 13 at the Songshan Shaolin Temple in Zhengzhou, the capital of China's Henan Province. 

Qiu was dubbed the “most handsome Shaolin monk” by his fans for his athletic and clean-cut looks. His powerful kung-fu moves were admired by his followers.

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He was a modern face who promoted traditional martial arts with his association with the Culture and Tourism Department in Henan province. His social media account has over 1.8 million followers. 

One of his videos reached 486,000 likes, in which Qiu was seen reciting the scriptures. In another video, he flaunted his strong moves in heavy rainfall and gained 266,000 likes. Despite this popularity, he was known for his humble demeanour.

“I am just an ordinary monk in the Shaolin Monks Group. The attention I’ve received is due to the unique charm of Shaolin kung fu,” he once said.

Qiu became an international ambassador of Shaolin kung fu after it was recognised as China's national intangible cultural heritage in the year 2006.

He also gained international recognition by performing his martial arts skills at Angkor Wat, Cambodia in April, and at the Sydney Opera House in August along with the Chinese Buddhist Chanting Music Ensemble.

In his last post shared on Xiaohongshu just before the accident, he was seen practising his art in Australia.

Qiu was killed on China's traditional start of the “autumn day".

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“He was a positive and motivated person, still very young, with an outgoing personality. He was always respectful to everyone,” a senior brother at Qiu’s temple said.

Social media reaction to Qiu’s sudden demise

Qiu’s social media fans expressed their shock and sorrow upon learning about his untimely sudden demise.

“When I heard the news, I was truly shocked. I kept checking to confirm it, and even now, I cannot get over it. It’s the first time I’ve felt so sad for someone I didn’t know personally,” one person said.

Another person wrote a poem for Qiu, which concluded with the line, “Every time the autumn wind blows, we will remember you.”

(With inputs from agencies)