The great Shaolin Temple in the Song Mountains of central China was established around 495 A.D. It was built by the Chinese Emperor Hsiao Wen for an Indian monk name Batou, know by the Chinese as Fo tuo. In this temple around 530 A.D., Bodhidharma, an Indian Monk travelling from India, introduced a new Buddhist meditation method and fighting techniques to the monks. First, he introduced a form of breathing exercises based on animal movements to the temple monks, to strengthen and condition their bodies and purify their minds. Then he taught them how to use the movements for self defense purposes. Over time, the monks changed and perfected these movements for self defense purposes. This style became known and respected as the art of shaolin temple boxing. Through years of refinements and modifications by various masters, shaolin temply boxing became Kempo (fist law) Karate (empty hand).