No, wushu isn’t something you eat. It’s a brand of martial arts making its Olympic debut at the Beijing Summer Olympics. Don’t know wushu? Ah, grasshopper, perhaps you know it by its other name— kung fu. That’s the brand of martial arts immortalized by actor David Carradine in the 70s television series of the same name.
The monks showcased in the series still practice kung fu (or wushu, as it’s known in China), but they won’t be competing in Beijing in the Olympic demonstrations. The monks of the Shaolin temple practice a version of wushu that combines religious aspects with the martial art and is not designed for competitive purposes. However, the monks have said that they would appear in the Beijing Olympics opening ceremonies, if invited.
