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South of Luoyang and Zhengzhou, nestled in the foothills of Song Shan, lies the
Shaolin Monastery. According to a 1,000-year-old tradition, it was at Shaolin
that the founder of Zen Buddhism, the 6th-century monk Boddhidharma, preached
and meditated until his death. The monastery grew larger and richer during the
Sui, Tang and later dynasties. Its monks, threatened by bandits and other
enemies, developed a system of self-defense that became known throughout the
world as kung fu. The tradition of meditation and martial arts has continued;
at this writing, it is being forwarded by nine aged monks and three young
novices. A recent film based on the monastery inspired hundreds of young
Chinese to apply there for kung fu training, but all were predictably turned
away.
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