少林功夫是指在河南登封嵩山少林寺这一特定佛教文化环境中历史地形成的，以佛教神力信仰为基础，充分体现佛教禅宗智慧并以少林寺僧人修习的武术为主要表现形式的一个传统文化体系。
　　
    少林功夫具有完整的技术和理论体系，它以武术技艺和套路为表现形式，而以佛教信仰和禅宗智慧为文化内涵。
　　
    创建于北魏太和十九年（495）的少林寺是少林功夫依存的文化空间。少林功夫伴随着少林寺一千五百多年的历史不断丰富完善，由最初保卫寺产的手段，逐渐发展成为技术完备、内涵丰富的文化表现形式。根据少林寺流传下来的拳谱记载，历代传习的少林功夫套路有数百种之多，其中流传有序的拳械代表有数十种,另有72项绝技及擒拿、格斗、卸骨、点穴、气功等门类独特的功法。少林寺目前流传的少林功夫拳术、器械和对练等套路合计有255种。
　　
    禅宗智慧赋予了少林功夫深厚的文化内涵，少林功夫的传承人首先应具有对佛教的信仰，包括智慧信仰和力量信仰。少林功夫的智慧信仰主神为禅宗初祖菩提达摩，力量信仰主神为紧那罗王。超常神力和超常智慧从来都是佛教徒潜心追求的目标。以信仰统摄技击，以技击表现信仰，这是少林功夫表现为神奇武术的根本原因，也是少林功夫与其他武术区别之所在。
　　
    佛教僧人的生活受佛教戒律约束，在少林寺这一特定环境中，佛教戒律又演化为习武戒律。戒律在习武者身上表现为武德，所以少林功夫往往表现出节制谦和、内敛含蓄和讲究内劲、短小精悍、后发制  人的风格特点。
　　
    少林功夫的传习方式主要以口诀为媒介，与少林寺传统的宗法门头制度相结合，其核心内容是师父的言传身教和弟子的勤学苦练。
　　
    少林功夫达到了“禅武合一”的精神境界，是中国武术文化最杰出的代表，也是少林文化最具代表性的呈现方式。
　　
    随着时代的发展，中国汉地佛教信仰整体水平衰落，少林住院僧人逐年减少。火器的普遍使用使传统武术从总体上退出军事攻防技术领域。现代人热衷于“少林功夫”动作套路的技术表现，由此导致其内在品质的边缘化。所有这些造成了当代少林功夫的濒危境况，需要有关方面尽快制定方案，对少林功夫加以抢救、保护。

    2006年，少林功夫被列入第一批国家级非物质文化遗产名录。
 

   Shaolin Kung Fu

   
    Shaolin Kung Fu refers to a system of traditional culture, which is on the foundation of a unique Buddhism cultural place Shaolin Temple and Buddhism relief and deeply reflects Chan Buddhism wisdom and Chinese Kung Fu. Shaolin Kung Fu owns complete technology and theory system, set martial art skills as major expressions and relys on the content of Buddhism relief and wisdom.
 
    Shaolin Temple, established in the 19th Taihe year of northern Wei Dynasty, is the cultural space Shaolin Kung Fu depends on. Nowadays, the prevailed Chinese boxing, instruments and pair exercise skills have 255 different kinds.  
  
    Chan Buddhism wisdom provides Shaolin Kung Fu thick cultural content, such as relief for Buddhism, wisdom and power. It controls martial art skills with relief and at the same time expresses relief with martial art skills. That’s why Shaolin Kung Fu is different from other kinds of martial arts. 
     
    Buddhism commandments develops into martial art commandments, which are regarded as morality of Wushu, including self-control, modest, restrained, terse and forceful, caring inner power and other features. The major way to spread Shaolin Kung Fu is teaching with a pithy formula and being learned with hard work. Shaolin Kung Fu has arrived at a particular mental shackle of uniting Chan and Wushu together which is an outstanding representative of Chinese martial art as well as a typical appearance way of Shaolin culture. However, nowadays, people pay more attention to the technical effects so that its inner essence is under marginalization.