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Reports that China’s Shaolin Temple, the birthplace of kung fu and the star of many martial arts films and a major tourist attraction, has set up an online store, seems to be a criticism that it should indulge in such commercialism. Which seems odd given the fact that cathedrals in, say, Britain do almost anything to make money.

The Shaolin temple in Song Shan in Henan Province has set up new web page on the popular Chinese e-commerce site www.taobao.com, offering a range of goods including shoes, tea, T-shirts and slippers.

Enthusiasts can buy a kung fu instruction manual or a pair of ‘environmentally friendly’ chopsticks.

Shaolin Temple’s business ventures include kung fu shows, film production and a reality TV search for the next kung fu star. Its monks also go on world tours to demonstrate feats of agility and balance.
Source: Reuters

author Gareth Powell, source www.chinaeconomicreview.com

In the six provinces of Central China the tourism industry has shown a continuing momentum of rapid growth.

According to the information from the 4th Central China Travel Expo (CCTE) the average annual growth of tourism income and the total number of tourists received in the six provinces reached 20% which is higher than the GDP growth rate and the average growth level of China’s tourism industry.

In 2007, the six provinces, Shanxi (shown in our illustration), Jiangxi, Henan, Anhui, Hubei, Hunan received a total of 599 million domestic and foreign tourists.

This gave a reported total tourism income of RMB434.638 billion, up 28.88% on the previous year.

The number of foreign tourists reached 5.5955 million which was up 25.82% over the previous year.

RMB1 billion has been invested into the tour destinations, resorts, hotels and also an Expo venue construction in the six provinces.
Source: English People’s Daily Online

author Gareth Powell, source www.chinaeconomicreview.com