Shaolin monks are
renowned for their acrobatic skills
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The warrior monks of China's Shaolin temple have applied to
trademark their name in more than 80 countries, Chinese state
media says.
The monks, famed for their
martial arts skills, want to stop their image being used to
sell products across the world.
They said there are already 54
brands in China that have Shaolin-related trademarks, and fake
temples elsewhere.
"These... have nothing to
do with Shaolin temple in Songshan, Henan province," said
a senior monk.
As well as being the inspiration
for dozens of Hollywood kung-fu movies, the monks have amazed
live audiences across the world with their feats of agility
and balance.
Accused of violations
But Shi Yongxin, abbot of the
Buddhist temple, said they had to be careful not to tread on
the toes of other brands when touring overseas.
"We cannot perform Shaolin kung-fu when going abroad for
cultural exchanges otherwise the holder of the Shaolin kung-fu
trademark in the local place would accuse us of violation,"
he was quoted as saying to the official Xinhua news agency.
The 1,500-year-old temple in
Henan has applied to the UN's cultural body for recognition as
a world heritage site.
But that has not stopped the
Shaolin name being used to sell a range of goods, from beer,
wine and cigarettes to furniture and tyres.
