The Shaolin temple is a Chinese Buddhist monastery famed for its long association with Zen Buddhism and martial arts, and is perhaps the Buddhist monastery best known in the West.
Abbot Shi Yongxin will fly to Germany to watch the World Cup soccer final at the special invitation of FIFA President Sepp Blatter, the temple said on Wednesday.
Established about 1,500 years ago, the Shaolin Temple is famed for combining martial arts with Zen Buddhism and features long sessions of meditation to purify the mind.
It has in recent years sought to shed its its reclusive reputation, increasingly stepping into the spotlight to promote trademark protection for the temple and raise money.
The abbot who rarely watches any football is quoted as saying, "that sportsmanship is highly valued in the World Cup and it's the same with kungfu."
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