China's Shaolin monks to open branch in Taiwan

Dec 15, 2010, 7:49 GMT

Taipei - China's Shaolin Temple, which trains the famous fighting monks, plans to open a branch in Taiwan, press reports said Wednesday.

The Chunghwa Tourism Development Fund has signed an agreement with the temple to open a cultural centre and a branch temple in Miaoli, western Taiwan, the United Daily News said.

The cultural centre is scheduled to open in 2011 and the temple in 2012.

The Shaolin Temple, based in China's Henan Province, will send monks to teach martial arts and conduct courses on Buddhist meditation, Chinese medicine and therapeutic massage, it added.

'The project is part of our effort to promote tourism in Miaoli,' Liu Cheng-chih, director of the tourism fund, told the FTV television channel.

The Shaolin Temple was founded in the 5th century and is one of China's best known Buddhist monasteries, due to its association with marital arts, in particular kung fu.

In the 1990s, the temple began to open kung fu schools and send its monks on performance tours.

Read more about China

Read more about Taiwan Culture