golbeandmail.com has a very interesting article about the Shaolin temple. Next year they are making a $30-million movie called Legends of the Monk Warriors of Shaolin Temple of a true story about 30 monks who joined the emperor's army to battle marauding pirates on China's coast in the 16th century.

"In recent years, more and more martial-arts movies are being made -- movies like Hero and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon -- but their portrayal of martial arts is very far from reality," the abbot says.

"They are pursuing profits, so they use a lot of visual effects and stunts. The purpose of our films is to represent the true spirit of martial arts. We're beginning to realize how important it is to protect our art."

And I didn't know there was kung fu in tea:

"When I am doing calligraphy, I am actually practising martial arts," says Mr. Shi, one of the temple's most senior monks. "And when I am drinking tea with you, this too is part of martial arts. You have to understand what kinds of tea leaves to use, what kind of water, the temperature of the water and how many seconds to immerse the tea leaves. The timing is very important. You have to practise it every day to understand it. The same is true of calligraphy and martial arts."