"Kung fu is a namecard of Chinese people, representing positive energy," he said.

Billy Nisbett, who has been with the academy for eight years, said kung fu has brought huge changes to his life, both physically and spiritually. He said kung fu has opened a door for him about China.

"I'm learning Chinese now and I stayed in China for about two months. I definitely know more about China than before," Nisbett, now a PHD student in physics, told Xinhua.

Established in 1998, Shi Xing Hao Shaolin Kung Fu Academy is an institution dedicated to spreading the traditional Chinese culture and the exchange of heritage between the East and the West.