The local government of Dengfeng City, where the famous Shaolin Temple is located, has approved a plan to curb the pace of commercialization around the temple.

Tsinghua University, based in Beijing, has beaten other competitors to win the bid for designing the blueprint on the future development of the temple area.

Dengfeng, in north China's Henan Province, will implement the plan in the next five to 10 years, which will focus on the temple's original roots -- "Zen (Buddhism)" and "Wu (Kungfu, a Martial Art)".

According to the plan, efforts will be made to improve the temple environment, tourist facilities and infrastructure, and develop several new tourist attractions.

(Xinhua News Agency May 22, 2002)