Shaolin Kung Fu, also called Shaolin Wushu, or Shaolin quan, is one of the oldest, largest, and most famous styles of wushu, or kung fu of Chan Buddhism. It combines Ch'an philosophy and martial arts and originated and was developed in the Shaolin temple in Henan province, Greater China during its 1500-year history. Popular sayings in Chinese folklore related to this practice include "All martial arts under heaven originated from Shaolin" and "Shaolin kung fu is the best under heaven," indicating the influence of Shaolin kung fu among martial arts. The name Shaolin is also used as a brand for the so-called external styles of kung fu. Many styles in southern and northern China use the name Shaolin.
Monkey Kung Fu or Hóu Quán is a Chinese martial art which utilizes ape or monkey-like movements as part of its technique.
David Carradine was an American actor best known for playing martial arts roles. He is perhaps best known as the star of the 1970s television series Kung Fu, playing Kwai Chang Caine, a peace-loving Shaolin monk travelling through the American Old West. He also portrayed the title character of both of the Kill Bill films. He appeared in two Martin Scorsese films: Boxcar Bertha and Mean Streets.
Herman Miller was a Hollywood writer and producer.
Kung Fu Mahjong is a 2005 Hong Kong comedy film directed by Wong Jing and Billy Chung. It is about an obsessive gambler Chi Mo Sai and Auntie Fei. The film was followed by two sequels, Kung Fu Mahjong 2 which was released the same year as the first film, and Kung Fu Mahjong 3: The Final Duel, which was released in 2007.
Robert Ito is a Canadian actor of Japanese ancestry. He is known for his television and film work, including the roles of Sam Fujiyama on the 1976–83 NBC series Quincy, M.E. and Larry Mishima on the 1980s CBS primetime soap opera Falcon Crest, and a variety of voice acting for animation. He was nominated for a Gemini Award for his performance in the 1994 film Trial at Fortitude Bay.
Kung Fu Panda is a 2008 American computer-animated martial arts comedy film produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by Paramount Pictures. It is the first installment in the Kung Fu Panda franchise. Directed by John Stevenson and Mark Osborne, the film stars the voices of Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Ian McShane, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu, David Cross, Randall Duk Kim, James Hong, Dan Fogler, Michael Clarke Duncan, and Jackie Chan. The film is set in a version of ancient China populated by anthropomorphic animals and revolves around a bumbling panda named Po, a kung-fu enthusiast. When a notorious snow-leopard named Tai Lung is foretold to escape from prison, Po is unwittingly named the "Dragon Warrior" – a prophesised hero worthy of reading a scroll said to grant its reader limitless power.
Randall Duk Kim is an American stage, film, and television actor.
Kung Fu: The Legend Continues is an action/crime drama series and sequel to the original 1972–1975 television series Kung Fu. While the original Kung Fu series was set in the American old west, Kung Fu: The Legend Continues was set in modern times. It starred David Carradine and Chris Potter as a father and son trained in kung fu – Carradine playing a Shaolin monk, Potter a police detective. The series aired in syndication for four seasons from January 27, 1993, to January 1, 1997, and was broadcast in over 70 countries. Filming took place in Toronto, Ontario. Reruns of the show have been aired on TNT.
Anne Fontaine is a Luxembourger film director, screenwriter, and former actress. She lives and works in France.
Natalis "Nat" Chan is a Hong Kong television host, film actor, singer and producer.
Kung Fu Mahjong 2 is a 2005 Hong Kong film directed by Wong Jing and starring Cherrie Ying, Yuen Wah and Yuen Qiu. It is the first sequel to Kung Fu Mahjong.
Kiyoshi Ijichi is the drummer of the Japanese rock band Asian Kung-Fu Generation. Ijichi credits the origin of his drumming ability to playing in marching bands in junior high.
Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness is an American computer-animated television comedy series spun off from DreamWorks Animation's Kung Fu Panda films. It serves as a bridge between the first and second films, showing Po's training to becoming a successful Dragon Warrior, where the second film is, according to the series' developer Peter Hastings, "not unlike a very long, super-deluxe 3-D version of one of our episodes".
Kung Fu Panda is an American media franchise that originally started in 2008 with the release of the animated feature film of the same name, produced by DreamWorks Animation. Following the adventures of the titular Po Ping, a giant panda who is improbably chosen as the prophesied Dragon Warrior and becomes a master of kung fu, the franchise is set in a fantasy wuxia genre version of ancient China populated by anthropomorphic animals. Although his status is initially doubted, Po proves himself worthy as he strives to fulfill his destiny.
There are several Chinese martial arts known as Snake Boxing or Fanged Snake Style which imitate the movements of snakes. It is a style of Shaolin Boxing. Proponents claim that adopting the fluidity of snakes allows them to entwine with their opponents in defense and strike them from angles they would not expect in offense. Snake style is said to especially lend itself to applications with the Chinese straight sword. The snake is also one of the animals imitated in Yang family Taijiquan, Baguazhang and Xingyiquan. The sinuous, fluid motion of the snake lends itself to the practical theory that underlies the "soft" martial arts.
Paulie Zink is an American martial arts champion, Taoist yoga teacher and well known practitioner of Monkey Kung Fu. He founded Yin yoga which is also known as Yin and Yang Yoga.
Takashi Nishiyama, sometimes credited as Piston Takashi, Nishiyama or T. Nishiyama, is a Japanese video game designer, director and producer who worked for Irem, Capcom and SNK before founding his own company Dimps. He is best known for developing Kung-Fu Master, Street Fighter, and Fatal Fury.
Barry Pang, 吴国树 is a martial arts instructor who was involved in the development and growth of kung fu in Australia. He is a Melbourne Australian Chinese entrepreneur. The Barry Pang school has been in operation since 1974 and was one of the earliest kung fu schools in Melbourne. Pang is involved in the Australian horse racing industry and was the first Chinese Australian owner of a Melbourne Cup Winner, Fiorente. His son is actor Chris Pang.
