Shi Yongxin, Buddhist abbot of the Shaolin Temple on Songshan Mountain, Henan Province, recently came to Beijing to apply for Shaolin gongfu's inclusion in World Cultural Heritage.

Shaolin gongfu is a Buddhist martial art that has developed over 1,500 years, and includes 217 series of classical skills and tricks. Shaolin qigong and boxing, and Shaolin children's exercises are well known in China and overseas, hence the Chinese saying, "Earthly gongfu comes from Shaolin."

Within the Shaolin Temple are grand halls that house many ancient murals, sculptures, pagodas and stone tablets, all of which merit its inclusion in UNESCO World Cultural Heritage.