Basic teaching criteria for world-famous Shaolin martial arts have been compiled in a brand new Shaolin Kung-fu 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 come from home and abroad to Dengfeng 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 80 martial art schools in the city.

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

More than 500 Shaolin Kung-fu textbooks were distributed for free 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.

Shaolin Temple attracts about two million visitors a year. It is said that more than 300 foreign disciples have been admitted to study in 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)