Kung Fu (multiple styles)

 Kung Fu is an ancient fighting system, which makes optimal use of the human body and the laws of physics. The name comes from the Chinese for 'hard work', or 'perfection'. Originating at the Shaolin temple in China from the 4th century onwards, Kung Fu developed as a set of exercises to help Buddhist monks keep themselves healthy whilst carrying out the rigorous meditation regime required of them. Kung Fu is an open martial art, which means that those who have perfected them can adapt its styles. In this way they have developed, over hundreds of years, into a potentially lethal form of self-defence. Kung fu is very different from western-style boxing. Boxers use punches with long follow through, as they are aiming to knock their opponents over. In Kung Fu the aim is to cause as much damage as possible without losing balance, so strikes are extremely quick and controlled.

Shaolin Chuan is credited as the father of many of them - there is a Chinese saying that "all martial arts come from Shaolin". Legend has it that some 60 years after the founding of the Shaolin temple, situated on Song Shan in the Henan province, a visiting Indian monk named Bodhidharma, or "Damo" - who later founded Zen Buddhism - taught the temple monks various martial exercise regimes such as the famous "18 hand movements of Lohan" for improved health and concentration during meditations. The monks later combined these moves with the existing martial arts of the times to form Shaolin Chuan. Shaolin Chuan evolved over the years, especially during the Ming Dynasty (1300s - 1600s), and spread throughout China and East Asia. Wing Chun Chuan, Taekwondo and Japanese karate have roots in Shaolin Chuan. Shaolin Chuan is essentially an external-style martial art, which utilises the physical strengths and weaknesses of muscle, bone and sinew. Typically within the Shaolin system there are 10 bare hand sets or forms as well weapon forms. There are two distinct Shaolin styles - the Northern style which has a mixture of hand and foot techniques, and the Southern style, which has predominantly hand techniques. Shaolin is famous for its "Five Animals", modelled after movements and motions of the snake, crane, leopard, tiger and the dragon. Bodhidharma was said to have imitated the moves of a snake and crane after witnessing a battle between these animals. Today, there are hundreds of secular schools around the world that teach Shaolin Chuan in one form or other.