Cultural Keys

  I recently visited Nic and AJ’ s lovely art studio for a calligraphy workshop with my friends. This experience gave me much more than I expected: we learned about the... read more history and the making of Chinese calligraphy and I now truly appreciate the depth and sophistication of the true masters. I was able to bring home my very first attempt of calligraphy with my name written on it by the master. I would definitely take friends and visiting family members to this workshop and to the art village. Thank you Nic and AJ for a lovely day!

  My husband and I attended the Spring Festival Event at Cultural Keys which included writing calligraphy, learning the history of the festival, and making dumplings. Transportation is organized for you... read more (included in the price) from a central spot in Beijing. AJ and Nic are very friendly, inviting and knowledgeable about many aspects of Chinese life and culture. Experts were brought in to teach about Chinese calligraphy, and we got to practice the characters before writing them on beautiful scrolls so we could take them home and hang them on our door. They also had a mother/daughter team come in to teach us how to make dumplings which was really fun! They cooked them for us and we had a big meal together. It was a very fun and well-organized event. I would highly recommend signing up for one of their classes or events.

  Had an awesome time at Cultural Keys store. Not only did I get my shoes for 88 kuai and a nice bag, I got to meet AJ who runs the... read more shop and is super nice. Overall really nice experience, will def be back!

  If you are in Beijing, take this opportunity to visit CK in their Tongzhou studio! got a great calligraphy piece for my wall and a wonderful experience that will last

  Having lived in Beijing for a few years, I thought it was about time to have a go at Kung Fu and went to AJ's class after a friend's recommendation.... read more

It was a fantastic cultural experience and a tough but fun work out! AJ will out you through your paces and give you interesting facts about his time learning with Shaolin monks.

I'd recommend it without a doubt!

Thanks AJ.

  I visited the studio with some friends for a Calligraphy workshop,and I must say I was impressed by how bright and spacious it was,Nic and AJ were great,welcoming,fun and indeed... read more very knowledgeable about the Chinese culture.We learned about the history of Chinese calligraphy then we wrote our own (May your wishes come true) in chinese characters,and had it signed by the artist.we had a scrumptious lunch in a lovely Local restaurant and visited few galleries at xiaopu village,thanks Nic and AJ for a wonderful day!

  Cultural Keys' martial arts training program at the Shaolin Temple is like nothing else you will ever experience. Cultural Keys is run by two amazing individuals that work hard to... read more provide their students with the most immersive, authentic Shaolin Temple and Chinese Culture experience available to the public. If you decide to take the leap, AJ Donnelly will be your main instructor for the duration of your time in Shaolin and Nic will be your guide/encyclopedia.These two make a great team providing you with a well rounded experience, physically and culturally. If you are enthusiastic about martial arts and progressing yourself mentally and physically, you couldn't ask for a better instructor. AJ will push you beyond what you previously thought you were capable of, while guiding you for personal success throughout the trip.

  I attended this afternoon workshop on traditional sugar blowing and sugar pouring, and it was quite good. I know the language barrier will always be a challenge in China, but... read more with something as difficult as this, I would have appreciated a more step by step approach. The cultural presentation was lovely, not too much info and very interesting. I would definitely attend other events with Cultural Keys!

  This was a 3 hour workshop which touched on some of the basic (beginner) skills you need to master in Shaolin Kung Fu. We started with fitness training at the... read more beginning was structured in such a way that it also prepared us for some of the stances.

I'm very unfit, so it was difficult for me to keep up at the beginning. As I got into it, I became more comfortable and better. The team does a great job of pushing you, but also making you feel safe. Therefore you want to push yourself and do better.

Great work shop! Will definitely join the beginners classes!

If martial arts in on your bucket list, I'd suggest you do this work shop!

  The perfect activity to join for fun, knowledge and to get new and fresh view of all that Chinese traditional culture has to offer. So don't hesitate, is way more... read more than you can think. Is definitely a must! Such an experience 😉