History Main / AllMonksKnowKungFu

* Played with in the ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'' episode "Godfellas": Leela attempts to challenge a group of monks for their radio telescope (so that she and Fry can use it to find Bender), and the monks immediately assume fighting stances. Leela is about to back down, when they reveal that they are strictly non-violent and practice martial arts solely as a form of meditation, then immediately surrender.

The main features of Buddhist monks from Shaolin are chanting, meditation and kick-ass martial arts prowess (which they originally learned from retired soldiers who ''became'' monks).

* [[TruthInTelevision Meditation]] is heavily attributed to Buddhism and Hinduism but is also wide-spread in Christianity. Similarly to eastern practice, ancient monasteries and abbeys were often founded in isolated places to encourage meditative discipline, and it remains an important part of monastic life. Jesuit daily practices, born of military discipline, have been more popularized than most but aren't the [[http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080623165252AAVMxtl only examples]]. The Benedictine Rule requires five hours of meditation a day, in the form of reading scripture, Gregorian chanting and Psalms.
* In the Middle Ages, retired soldiers often entered monastic orders and earned money for the community by educating young nobles and others. Several mediaeval and renaissance manuals of arms show monks as teachers; a community with a resident master-at-arms would attract more pupils. There were also many orders of [[WarriorMonk Warrior Monks]] that existed beyond the more famous groups such as UsefulNotes/TheKnightsTemplar, UsefulNotes/TheTeutonicKnights and UsefulNotes/TheKnightsHospitallers[[note]]The latter two still exist today. While the Teutonic Knights have lost their military wing, the Knights Hospitaller have retained it as the Soverign Military Order of Malta. They even loan military aircraft to the Italian Airforce for humanitarian missions.[[/note]]. They usually preferred to fight with swords and armour but unarmed combat was taught as well as weapons training. They were also a solution for the old question of what to do with younger or illegitimate sons. These groups were given special permission to take up fighting in the name of the Church.

* Father Sergio Gutiérrez Benítez wrestled professionally for 23 years in Mexico as "Fray Tormenta" ("Friar Storm") to fund the orphanage he runs. As such, he was the very loose inspiration for Film/NachoLibre, but that's hardly his fault. Apparently, he still wears his mask for his day to day priestly work. Think we also know him as King from the ''VideoGame/{{Tekken}}'' series. Because when you think "priest who runs an orphanage", you think "Tombstone piledriver".

* In the ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' all Monks do indeed know Kung Fu of one sort or another. This ranges from the various time based martial arts of the History Monks (literally becoming [[SuperSpeed The Speedster]] by manipulating time itself) to the Battle Clowning of the Fool's Guild (who can use rubber balloons and ladders to literally deadly effect if sufficiently provoked)[[note]]The Fool's Guild is based on "the sticter type of medieval monastery", so it counts.[[/note]]. Possible subversion in that the only one to know the legendary art of Deja Fu isn't actually a monk at all, but rather the AlmightyJanitor.

* In the ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' all Monks do indeed know Kung Fu of one sort or another. This ranges from the various time based martial arts of the History Monks (literally becoming [[SuperSpeed The Speedster]] by manipulating time itself) to the Battle Clowning of the Fool's Guild (who can use rubber balloons and ladders to literally deadly effect if sufficiently provoked). Possible subversion in that the only one to know the legendary art of Deja Fu isn't actually a monk at all, but rather the AlmightyJanitor.

* ''Franchise/FireEmblem'' is a notable aversion for an Eastern RPG series. The Monk class in the GBA games are indeed a combat class, but instead use [[HolyHandGrenade Light Magic]] and have no physical prowess whatsoever. ''VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening'' added War Monks but they count as a WarriorMonk with an axe. Played straight in ''VideoGame/FireEmblemThreeHouses'' where War Monks returns as a DLC class and specialize in the new Brawling weapon type.

* ''Series/DoctorWho'': Shows up in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS28E2ToothAndClaw "Tooth and Claw"]]. When the monks announce they're taking over a mansion, they reveal orange robes under their cloaks and do a dramatic, slow-motion leap over the heads of the astonished housekeepers. Normally orange robes are worn by Buddhists, while frocks were worn by Franciscan friars -- which are quite different from monks. Neither Buddhists nor Franciscans should have had a monastery in 19th century Scotland.

* ''LightNovel/FateZero'': Priest Kirei Kotomine utilizes the Chinese martial art Bajiquan, enhanced by magecraft.

* Lei-Fei, from the ''VideoGame/VirtuaFighter'' video game series, is a Chinese monk and a master of Shaolin kung fu.

** ''Advanced Dungeons and Dragons'' (''AD&D'') 1E included a class called the Monk, inspired by the Kung-Fu monk. Many players, and not a few adventure writers, however, made them out to be some form of Western monastic. This version was in print by 1978. As an interesting note, Later editions featuring the Monk class make very sure that the Asian influence is clear.

* In the Myth/RobinHood legends of England, one of the closest followers of the renegade knight/outlaw is Friar Tuck, who in most iterations of the legend is the usual fat, jolly, laid-back monastic with a semi-detached attitude towards his religion. But the padre to the Merry Men is also no slouch with weapons and fighting when he has to be, and is deadly with the quarterstaff stave.

Make sure not to confuse this {{trope}} with examples of Shaolin-based monks who know kung fu, which is perfectly [[JustifiedTrope justified]], since these ''particular'' monks learned from former soldiers, and practiced combat in secret or disguised as religious rituals (since it was generally illegal). But, if these Shaolin-based monks are supposed to belong to a CrystalDragonJesus religion, then these examples may belong here. Examples where every Chinese monk knows kung fu also belong here, seeing as how most Chinese monastic orders do not engage in any martial arts training.

This {{trope}} is the [[SisterTrope sister]] (brother?) trope of NunsAreMikos.

* ''LightNovel/FateZero'' Priest Kirei Kotomine utilizes the Chinese martial art Bajiquan, enhanced by magecraft.

* ''Manga/JojosBizarreAdventurePhantomBlood'': The Ripple and its associated martial art, the Way of the Hermit, are mainly practitioned by Tibetan monks. However, Zeppeli tells that the first Ripple user he's met was a healer.

* In the second season of ''Anime/TheMysteriousCitiesOfGold'', the gang runs into several Shaolin monks while they're practicing kung-fu.

* Obviously: Creator/DavidCarradine's character Kwai Chang Caine in ''Series/KungFu1972''. While justified in that he was a ''Shaolin'' monk, this is what probably started the entire trope of "''all'' monks knowing kung-fu" by generalizing from this original series.

** And then ''Magazine/{{Dragon}}'' ran an article on "variant monks" that included Buddhist, Shinto, Knight Hospitallier and Franciscan friar, noting that they lack the martial arts skills of the "standard" monk.

* Somewhat inverted in the English dub of ''VideoGame/DynastyWarriors'': Taoist monk Zhang Jiao is characterized as a televangelist.
* ''VideoGame/GangWars'' have a stage set in a Shaolin-esque temple. Many of the mooks are monks, and can put up a fight against your characters.
* ''VideoGame/HeroesOfMightAndMagic 3'': Monks from the Western European-style Castle are dressed in hooded robes and... [[KiManipulation throw fireballs]]. Their upgraded version, Zealots, also have no penalty in hand-to-hand combat.
** Somewhat complicated by the fact that the most direct influence on Heroes 3's Monks were... Heroes 2's Druids, who were pretty much the exact same unit (including clothing), only with another name and in another castle.
** The seventh game in [[VideoGame/MightAndMagic the RPG series]] that ''Heroes'' was based off of starts off playing it straight with its Monk class. But then it confuses things further, as one of the promotion paths for Monk is [[GratuitousNinja Ninja]] of all things.

* ''Franchise/FireEmblem'' is a notable aversion for an Eastern RPG series. The Monk class in the GBA games are indeed a combat class, but instead use [[HolyHandGrenade Holy]] [[LightEmUp Light Magic.]] Indeed they have no physical prowess whatsoever. ''VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening'' added War Monks but they count as a WarriorMonk with an axe. Played straight in ''VideoGame/FireEmblemThreeHouses'' where War Monks returns as a DLC class and specialize in the new Brawling weapon type.

* In ''VideoGame/NeverwinterNights2'' has a group of Monks that worship Tyr who [[CrystalDragonJesus is pretty much The Father of the trinity in the trio of gods known as the Triad]]. Khelgar seeks to join them so he can become a martial arts using monk.

* In ''VideoGame/TimeCommando'', you fight these in Feudal Japan and Medieval Europe.

* Played with in the ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'' episode "Godfellas": Leela attempts to challenge a group of monks for their radio telescope (so that she and Fry can use it to find Bender), and the monks immediately assume fighting stances. Leela is about to back down when they reveal that they are strictly non-violent and practice martial arts solely as a form of meditation.

* ''Series/DoctorWho'': Shows up in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS28E2ToothAndClaw "Tooth and Claw"]]. When the monks announce they're taking over a mansion, they reveal orange robes under their cloaks and do a dramatic, slow-motion leap over the heads of the astonished housekeepers. Normally orange robes are worn by Buddhists, while frocks were worn by Franciscan friars — which are quite different from monks. Neither Buddhists nor Franciscans should have had a monastery in 19th century Scotland.

* ''Franchise/FireEmblem'' is a notable aversion for an Eastern RPG series. The Monk class in the GBA games are indeed a combat class, but instead use [[HolyHandGrenade Holy]] [[LightEmUp Light Magic.]] Indeed they have no physical prowess whatsoever. ''VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening'' added War Monks but they count as a WarriorMonk with AnAxeToGrind. Played straight in ''VideoGame/FireEmblemThreeHouses'' where War Monks returns as a DLC class and specialize in the new Brawling weapon type.

** Monk has been a standard class throughout the series (at least until ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim Skyrim]]'' did away with classes). [[GoodOldFisticuffs Hand to Hand]] tends to be the main combat skill of the class, though [[MartialArtsStaff Blunt Weapon]] also gets a boost. Given the EverythingIsTryingToKillYou [[AdventureFriendlyWorld Adventure World]]-nature of Tamriel, it is actually fairly justified for even religious orders to have some ability to defend themselves.

** Monk has been a standard class throughout the series (at least until ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim Skyrim]]'' did away with classes). [[GoodOldFisticuffs Hand to Hand]] tends to be the main combat skill of the class, though [[SimpleStaff Blunt Weapon]] also gets a boost. Given the EverythingIsTryingToKillYou [[AdventureFriendlyWorld Adventure World]]-nature of Tamriel, it is actually fairly justified for even religious orders to have some ability to defend themselves.

* Lei-Fei, from the ''VideoGame/VirtuaFighter'' video game series, is a Chinese monk and a master of Shaolin Kung Fu.

* Lei-Fei, from the ''VideoGame/VirtuaFighter'' fighting game series, is a Chinese monk and a master of Shaolin Kung Fu.

* Obviously: Creator/DavidCarradine's character Kwai Chang Caine in ''Series/KungFu''. While justified in that he was a ''Shaolin'' monk, this is what probably started the entire trope of "''all'' monks knowing kung-fu" by generalizing from this original series.

-->--'''Father [=McGruder=]''' (the Kung Fu Priest), ''Film/{{Braindead}}''

* Gendo from ''Anime/MaryuuSenki'' is a Buddhist monk as well as a martial artist.

* A ''Series/FatherTed'' fic by Creator/AAPessimal has Ted and Dougal discussing the more culturally specific aspects of the coming of Christianity to Japan. In [[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/6873001/2/The-wicker-Ted a spoof of the works]] of Creator/JamesClavell and [[Creator/BruceLee others]], the great missionary St Francis Xavier is depicted as a priest who ''seriously'' went native:
-->'''FATHER TED CRILLY:'''- (smiles. Has he finally got an abstract concept into Dougal's head, first go?) Exactly correct, Dougal. The Church has been established in Japan since the old fifteen-hundreds.. All those goings-on on the old television the other night were exaggerated, you know how these television people like making a sensation, so. (He giggles, nervously). And we have some of the great warrior-priests to thank. Like the great Jesuit Saint Francis Xavier, who realised that to live and work and preach the faith to the Japanese, we had to live like them, dress like them, learn their language, teach by example.\\
FATHER DOUGAL MAGUIRE picks up a book from the table. The cover is a garish illustration of a Catholic priest -- at least he is wearing a cross -- in orange Shinto kimono, striking a kung-fu pose. The title is lurid, in red letters: St Francis Xavier, warrior monk, stars in ''Death Fist of Christ: EXIT THE DRAGON!'' In smaller letters beneath: "Soon to be a movie featuring Bruce Lee as St Francis Xavier!"

* Jackie Chan's kung-fu adventure ''Film/ArmorOfGod'' has a cult of evil Western monks he must fight at the end. Of course, this being Jackie, everyone knows kung-fu, but...
* French movie ''Film/TheCrimsonRivers 2'' features a monk (complete with outfit) committing murders, knowing martial arts, and doing parkour. He was played by Cyril Rafaelli, one of the leading parkour experts
* ''Film/TheGamersDorknessRising'' is, in part, about a D&D campaign whose players are in a somewhat antagonistic relationship with their GM. One player insists on playing a Kung-Fu Monk, which he says that he can do because it's a base D&D character class. The GM complains that it can't work because the campaign takes place in a traditional European fantasy setting, but relents, on the condition that he play the character as being a Western monk who also has the character class's Kung-Fu skills.
* The 1998 incredibly low budget (verging on home made) Irish action film ''Film/FatalDeviation'' features a bunch of homeless monks in the real town of Trim helping the hero Jimmy Bennet (played by Jimmy Bennet) train for an ancient tournament in which he must defeat a member of the local "Drug Lords Gang" in order to break their power. Or something. [[BigLippedAlligatorMoment The monks really have nothing to do with the plot]].
* ''Film/JohnnyMnemonic'' has a CyberPunk assassin played by Creator/DolphLundgren who dresses as a Franciscan monk and kills people with a dagger using his hand-to-hand fighting skills and cybernetics, all while spewing quasi-religious babble. This strange character has its origin in a line from ''Literature/{{Neuromancer}}'', in which Molly states that the assassin who finally caught up with Johnny was "like a monk" due to his Zen-like calm. Molly is clearly thinking of Buddhist monks, but the filmmakers either misinterpreted the line or decided to put a spin on it.
* One background event in ''Film/{{Moonraker}}'' is Bond seeing monks practicing martial arts in a church in Brazil. Of course, since the church in question was a disguised [=MI6=] facility, it's likely the monks in question weren't really clergy.

* Friar Tuck of the Myth/RobinHood stories is usually depicted as a capable warrior. In the ballad recounting Robin's encounter with "the curtal friar," we are told explicitly: "The friar had on a harness good, / And on his head a cap of steel, / Broad sword and buckler by his side, / And they became him well." Some versions of the character suggest that Tuck had soldier training, which would have given him experience with various medieval weapons as well as unarmed combat.

* In Creator/NealStephenson's ''Literature/{{Anathem}}'' features the mathic societies, where the inhabitants study various academic subjects such as logic, math and philosophy rather than religion. There is one society in the Ringing Vale that also studies the science of combat and developed a form of sci-fi martial arts. Their study is known as "vale lore" or "vlore." One of the main characters, Lio, is considered odd for studying vlore as a member of another mathic society.
* In the ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' all Monks do indeed know Kung Fu of one sort or another. This ranges from the various time based martial arts of the History Monks (literally becoming [[SuperSpeed The Speedster]] by manipulating time itself) to the Battle Clowning of the Fool's Guild (who can use rubber balloons and ladders to literally deadly effect if sufficiently provoked). Possible subversion in that the only one to know the legendary art of Deja Fu isn't actually a monk at all, but rather the AlmightyJanitor.
* ''Monachomachia'' (War of the Monks) is a satirical poem from the 18th century written by Poland's leading Enlightenment poet Ignacy Krasicki. It’s the story of a feud between two religious orders – the Carmelites and the Dominican Order. At first, it seems that the two orders are going to engage in a polite, philosophical discussion in order to establish which of them is better suited as teachers. However, the discussion is quickly transformed into a regular brawl, complete with shoes, tankards, and belts used as weapons.

* ''VideoGame/DungeonKeeper 2'': The Monk there looks like a stereotypical Catholic monk: fat, round-faced, with a tonsured head and dressed in a brown robe. He is a skilled bare-hand fighter.
* Somewhat inverted in the English dub of ''VideoGame/DynastyWarriors'': Taoist monk Zhang Jiao is characterized as a televangelist.
* ''VideoGame/RagnarokOnline'' has a Monk class which branches off from the Acolyte class (The other choice of advancement being the Priest). They're still associated with the church of Prontera, but they forgo holy powers in favor of obliterating things with punches and ki attacks, and have a typical martial artist look to them.
* In ''VideoGame/NeverwinterNights2'' has a group of Monks that worship Tyr who [[CrystalDragonJesus is pretty much The Father of the trinity in the trio of gods known as the Triad]]. Khelgar seeks to join them so he can become a martial arts using monk.
** The first expansion (and the original game intended to include it) also introduces the Sacred Fist class, a cleric/monk combo.

* ''VideoGame/DiabloIII'' monks have an eastern orthodox appearance and speak in an eastern European accent, but use a fighting style more similar to stereotypical East Asian martial arts. This is less a case of not doing the research, though, and more a case of deliberately combining things in an unusual way. Besides, have you seen the beards of an Eastern Orthodox priest or monk? Those things should require a permit, they're so badass!
* In ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' there are various different types of enemies inside the [[KnightTemplar Scarlet Monastery]]. The scarlet monks? They fight bare-fisted, wear headbands and kick spellcasters to interrupt them. The ''Mists of Pandaria'' expansion introduces shaolin-style monks as a new character class. This is justified by the simultaneous introduction of the pandaren as a new playable race, obviously based heavily on east-Asian cultures.
* In ''VideoGame/AncientDomainsOfMystery'', the Monk class is not just a class with strong unarmed combat bonuses, it is in fact ''completely unrelated to religion'', even though religion plays a significant role in the game. The only classes with religion-related bonuses and abilities are Priests and Paladins; Monks are exactly as inherently religious as any other melee class.
* In ''VideoGame/DarkAgeOfCamelot'' the friar class can best be summed up as "a brawling healer".

* ''Franchise/FireEmblem'' is a notable aversion for an Eastern RPG series. The Monk class in the GBA games are indeed a combat class, but instead use [[HolyHandGrenade Holy]] [[LightEmUp Light Magic.]] Indeed they have no physical prowess whatsoever. ''VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening'' added War Monks but they count as a WarriorMonk with AnAxeToGrind. Played straight in ''VideoGame/FireEmblemThreeHouses'' where War Monks returns as a DLC class and specialize in the new Brawling weapon type.
* Korean indie fighting game ''VideoGame/AsuraCross'', Father Faith, a western / Christian monk, is very adept at fighting using his punches and kicks.
* Lei-Fei, from the ''VideoGame/VirtuaFighter'' fighting game series, is a Chinese monk and a master of Shaolin Kung Fu.

* Parodied in ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'', specifically in the prequel ''On the Origin of [=PCs=]'':
-->'''Belkar:''' Hey, listen buddy, sure you can hire Friar Tuck over here--\\
'''Monk:''' Not that kind of monk, actually!
* Discussed in ''Webcomic/RobAndElliot'', when Rob proudly admits he beat up some Buddhist Monks, who weren't as tough as he expected. Elliot informs him that Buddhist Monks are pacifists, and he was thinking of ''Shaolin'' Monks. Rob scoffs, then his face falls.
* Webcomic/ImpureBlood Has [[http://www.impurebloodwebcomic.com/Pages/Chapter007/ib045.html Dara]], although its unclear if her skills are due to her monk training or not. Her other abilities were present before her training.

* Subverted in ''Webcomic/BeneathTheClouds''. Genza is an old man and gets beaten up pretty badly when bandits attack his travelling party.

* Lei-Fei, a character from the ''VideoGame/VirtuaFighter'' fighting game series, is a Chinese monk who is a master of Shaolin Kung Fu.

* Lei-Fei, a character from the ''Virtua Fighter'' fighting game series, is a Chinese monk who is a master of Shaolin Kung Fu.

* Lei-Fei, a character from the "Virtua Fighter" fighting game series, is a monk who is a master of Shaolin Kung Fu.

* In the Discworld all Monks do indeed know Kung Fu of one sort or another. This ranges from the various time based martial arts of the History Monks (literally becoming [[SuperSpeed The Speedster]] by manipulating time itself) to the Battle Clowning of the Fool's Guild (who can use rubber balloons and ladders to literally deadly effect if sufficiently provoked). Possible subversion in that the only one to know the legendary art of Deja Fu isn't actually a monk at all, but rather the AlmightyJanitor.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Touhou}}'' when it came time to assign fighting styles in the fighting game spin-off ''Hopeless Masquerade'', of course the Buddhist monks of the Myouren Temple turned out to specialize in martial arts. They even made a game mechanic out of Buddhism being associated with melee attacks. Oddly enough, Taoism is associated with lasers.
* ''VideoGame/FireEmblem'' is a notable aversion for an Eastern RPG series. The Monk class in the GBA games are indeed a combat class, but instead use [[HolyHandGrenade Holy]] [[LightEmUp Light Magic.]] Indeed they have no physical prowess whatsoever. ''VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening'' added War Monks but they count as a WarriorMonk with AnAxeToGrind. Played straight in ''Videogame/FireEmblemThreeHouses'' where War Monks returns as a DLC class and specialize in the new Brawling weapon type.
* Korean indie fighting game ''Asura Cross'', Father Faith, a western / Christian monk, is very adept at fighting using his punches and kicks.

[[folder:Web Comics]]

** Although in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXI'', there's a "far east" which, although we never see it, is clearly implied to be a thinly-veiled Japan analogue. It's also the origin for the Monk, Samurai, and Ninja techniques (although for some reason, the medieval French nation of San d'Oria picked up the Monk training and adapted it for their own use). There's even a neat in-story justification for why, of all the beastman races, only the Yagudo have Samurais?they have good relations with the far east.

* ''VideoGame/DiabloIII'' monks have an eastern orthodox appearance and speak in an eastern European accent, but use attacks a a fighting style more similar to stereotypical East Asian martial arts. This is less a case of not doing the research, though, and more a case of deliberately combining things in an unusual way. Besides, have you seen the beards of an Eastern Orthodox priest or monk? Those things should require a permit, they're so badass!