Basic teaching criteria for world-famous Shaolin Kung-fu have been compiled into a brand new textbook.

The 1,500-year-old Shaolin Temple in Dengfeng City, in central China's Henan Province, is China's most renowned home of Zen Buddhism and martial arts.

However, very few of the 50,000 Kung-fu pilgrims that gather there from home and abroad to are "lucky" enough to be admitted to study in the temple, which offers classic Shaolin Kung-fu teaching. Most of them are enrolled in some of the city's 80 martial art schools.

The illustrated textbook published by the Dengfeng Sports Administrative Bureau comprises the basic physical exercises of Shaolin Kung-fu, 24 series of Shaolin boxing exercises and Shaolin club training practices.

Over 500 Shaolin Kung-fu textbooks were freely distributed to 126 government departments and companies in Dengfeng on Wednesday. The bureau said that all martial art schools in the city will be urged to use the textbooks for teaching from next year onwards.

Shaolin Temple attracts about two million visitors a year. It is said that over 30 foreign disciples have been admitted to the temple in recent years.

In addition to attracting martial art fans from around the world, Shaolin Kung-fu is a compulsory course for local primary and high school students. The bureau estimates that there are over 200,000 local Kung-fu practitioners in Dengfeng.

(Xinhua News Agency November 16, 2006)