Shaolin Temple in Henan Province

You don't need to be a kung fu practitioner to enjoy Shaolin. While crowded and commercialized, Shaolin is still one of China's most interesting historical and religious monuments, dating back to the end of the fifth century A.D. In 624 the Tang Dynasty Emperor expanded it in gratitude for wartime services rendered by the Shaolin monks. They had used their fighting skills to fend off some usurpers.