Shaolin Monastery at Mount Song is considered the epicentre of the Chan school of Buddhism. It is also well known for its martial arts tradition and has long been regarded as a special cultural heritage site and an important symbol of the Chinese nation. This book is the first scholarly work in English to comprehensively examine the full history of Shaolin Monastery from 496 to 2016. More importantly, it offers a clear grasp of the origins and development of Chan Buddhism through an examination of Shaolin, and highlights the role of Shaolin and Shaolin kung fu in the construction of a national identity among the Chinese people in the past two centuries.

Sensei Ki-Yaga leads the disabled samurai-in-training of the Cockroach Ryu across the Sea of Japan to China, where they study the ways of the Shaolin monks before facing Qing-Shen, a skilled soldier seeking revenge against his former teacher, the Sensei.

The martial arts novel is one of the most distinctive and widely-read forms of modern Chinese fiction. John Christopher Hamm offers the first in-depth English-language study of this fascinating and influential genre, focusing on the work of its undisputed twentieth-century master, Jin Yong.

One of YALSA's Top 10 Great Graphic Novels for Teens! Named one of the best graphic novels of the year by Publishers Weekly, Heeb Magazine, io9, CNN, Comic Book Resources, Complex, USA Today, Forbidden Planet International, IFC, ComicsAlliance, Paste, and Graphic Novel Reporter! "Pure awesome. From ôber-violent kung fu fight sequences and zombie stalkers, to blood-drenched battles among armies and supernatural beings, this book is a testament to just how cool a well-drawn and well-written martial-arts action epic can be. If you pick up only one comic book or graphic novel... let this be the one."-- USA Today "Over 450 pages of stunningly choreographed fight scenes of epic imagination. Kagan McLeod is a master cartoonist."-- CNN GeekOut "The best elements of horror, Westerns, and of course, kung fu films are seamlessly interlaced to tell a highly imaginative tale. You couldn't sandblast the smile from my face as I read this."-- Ain't It Cool News "INFINITE KUNG FU is glorious and deranged in the way that all comics should be."-- Warren Ellis, author of Transmetropolitan, Red, and Crooked Little Vein "The great strength of this graphic novel is its originality, but equally impressive are McLeod's extraordinary illustrations and compelling narrative."-- Publishers Weekly (starred review) "Stunningly gorgeous... McLeod's unique brand of comic book wizardry practically oozes out of every panel as his art delivers animated stylings with a hip-hop flavor."-- Complex "All of that buzz and hype was completely on the money... It's like the best kung-fu movie you've ever seen, unimpaired by time or budget constraints."-- Comic Book Resources "A kung fu epic for people who don't buy into the kung fu cult."-- Royal Flush Infinite Kung Fu walks you through familiar corridors in the house of martial mayhem, but dares to take you where kung fu is afraid to go! The Martial World is ruled by a mysterious emperor whose kung fu armies are each headed by a cruel and highly skilled master. Here, where the way of the fist is a way of life, ex-soldier Yang Lei Kung must infiltrate the emperor's forces and stop him from destroying all life on the planet. Allegiances are blurred as techniques are perfected, and Lei Kung becomes less certain who's friend and who's foe in each chapter! Fists fly, limbs are lost and blood vessels burst in this tale of furious rivals, supernatural masters, walking corpses, and above all, raging kung fu!

From Bruce Lee to James Bond, Jackie Chan to Jet Li, Enter the Dragon to Kung Fu Panda, kung fu films remain a thrilling part of movie-lovers' lives. Now the acknowledged pioneer in the genre presents his magnum opus on the subject, incorporating information and revelations never before seen in America. From the ancient Peking Opera origins to its superhero-powered future, Ric Meyers reveals the loony, the legendary, and everything in between. This vivid, action-packed book may delight, surprise, fascinate, and even enlighten you with a personal V.I.P. tour through the wondrous world of the most ridiculously exhilarating movies ever made.

There was a bright moon three feet above his head, and an azure dragon embroidered on his sleeves. Riding a horse with a sword, indulging in unbridled pleasures, roaming the Jianghu with his lover.

A Heart Divided is the fourth and final volume in Jin Yong’s high stakes, tension-filled epic Legends of the Condor Heroes, where kung fu is magic, kingdoms vie for power and the battle to become the ultimate kung fu master unfolds. China: 1200 A.D. Guo Jing and Lotus have escaped Qiu Qianren’s stronghold, but at a steep price: Lotus has been mortally wounded. The only one who could save her life is Duan, King of the South, a man skilled and renowned for his healing. But little do they know that danger awaits, including a plan to tear them apart. As the Mongol armies descend on China, Guo Jing will have to make the toughest decision of all—rejoin the people who raised him to avenge his father or fight against his homeland. The ultimate battle for China and Guo Jing’s future plays out in the sweeping, high stakes adventure of A Heart Divided, where one choice can change the world.