This style of martial arts began in China 1400 years ago at the Shaolin Temple in the Hunan providence. Their monks taught shaolin kempo karate to many students, who then traveled to other countries in the arts. The bow is gesture of respect and a formal greeting. It is used when addressing an instructor and in entering and leaving a dojo. The style of shaolin kempo karate is also know as chuan fa which was influenced by Japanese karate and chinese kung fu, a student of chinese kung fu has soft flowing motion, they will circle an attacker, whereas the student of Japanese karate moves in a hard and linear manner, both have been blended into a unique fighting style, which you will study. The philosophy of the shaolin kempo style is based on the movements of the dragon, tiger, snake, leopard and crane. Central in the philosophy of kempo are escaping arts, no body contact is the highest art; kempo students learn to move such that opponents cannot see, feel or hear them. By manipulating an attacker's perception of his environment inxsuch a way, we are able to control his movements, there is no other art like kempo; it is a study of natural law. Kempo students learn to pay attention to our environment and to ourselves. Because of this universal-lawapproach, the principles of kempo can easily be integrated with any art, and will lend new insights to even the most advanced practitioners, arts, such as judo (takedowns), ju-jitsu (extension and rotation of joints), aikido (following opponents momentum), tai-chi (internal health), wing tsun (hand to hand combat at close range) and praying mantis kung fu (hard work), all function by the same set of natural laws and principles. In so doing, we learn to accept and deal with life as it is, not as we wish it to be!