The Shaolin Temple is considered the birthplace of Shaolin boxing, a unique combination of Buddhism and Chinese martial arts that evolved into Kung Fu.
DENGFENG/CHINA: An Indian tea company is set to piggyback the world famous Shaolin Temple, set up here in central China to honour an Indian Buddhist monk in 495 AD, to enter the huge Chinese market.
"A famous Indian tea company, wanting to enter Chinese market, is discussing with us on cooperation," the abbot of Shaolin Temple, Shi Yongxin said.
However, the abbot declined to name the Indian tea company.
Another temple official said it was too early to make the business deal public.
The Shaolin Temple in Dengfeng, Henan province, is widely considered the birthplace of Shaolin boxing, a unique combination of Buddhism and Chinese martial arts that evolved into Kung Fu.
Interestingly, Tata Tea had signed a joint venture agreement with Zhejiang Tea Import & Export (ZTIE) company of China in May.
Meanwhile, the Shaolin Temple, realising the potential value of its famous image and name, is fighting against increasing misuse of the 'Shaolin' trademark by unscrupulous traders for commercial purposes.
The Buddhist temple made famous by dozens of Kung Fu movies, has registered "Shaolin" and "Shaolin Temple" as trademarks with China's General Administration for Industry and Commerce, the abbot, wearing mustard-coloured robes, said.
It has also set up a firm to safeguard the temple's reputation and ban its "abusive use" in commercial activities.
"We have registered our trademarks in many foreign countries, including India," said Shi, a Chinese lawmaker who visited India in 1995.
Lawmaker Shi said that the people of China and India have also learned from each other and have benefited from the teachings of Buddhism.
Shi, also Vice Chairman of China Buddhism Association, said that the Shaolin Temple also plays a key role in promoting and developing Buddhism, which spread to China from India.
Though China has opened up to the outside world and earth-shaking changes have taken place in the country, inside the Shaolin Temple, the monks and students still follow the same old rituals and adopts a simple living, just as Bodhidharnma, the Indian Buddhist monk credited with developing kung fu would have wanted it.
"Of course, we have adopted some new modern aids like telephone, mobile phones, computers and cars for convenience," Shi said with a smile.
The Shaolin Temple was established in 495 AD. As a believer of Buddhism, Emperor Xiaowen worshipped Batuo, an Indian monk then spreading Buddhism in Luoyang and ordered to build a temple for him at the northern foot of Shaoshan Mountain.
Batuo was the first eminent monk that came to Shaolin Temple.
The second eminent monk of Shaolin Temple was also an Indian, Bodhidharma (Damo). Hearing Damo's arrival in southern city of Guangzhou, Emperor Wu Ti invited him to Shaolin but the Indian monk did not meet the king but meditated in a small cave behind the Shaolin Temple for nine years.
Bodhidharma felt the monks at the Shaolin Temple were getting indolent from sitting in meditation and created a series of "meditations in motion" that copied the natural motions of animals and birds. This eventually developed into Kung Fu, and Bodhidharma's teachings evolved into the Zen School of Buddhism.
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