Kung Fu is often a generic label used to describe most martial arts that come from China.  Chinese Kung Fu is a pearl that belongs not just to China but the world. Chinese kung fu is not about fighting but about self discipline, self respect, humbleness and patience.  A few characteristic of Chinese kung fu is their use of  weapons like the chain whip and the use of mediation or mind training.

Chan or Zen was introduced to the monks by an Indian Priest by the name of Bodhidharma.  Bodhidharma would catch the monks falling asleep while in meditation.  In order to help them with their meditation he introduced breathing exercises for health, meditation, self-development, and self-defense.  Chinese monks still live practice Chan meditation as well as Shaolin kung fu.

Overall, there's more variety of movements, systems, weapons and traditions in the Chinese kung fu systems compared to most of the other martial arts. There are soft and hard types of martial arts in china.  Both styles include the use of weapons.  Soft style weapons include a wide range of Chinese Kung Fu weapons such as broadsword, staff, kwan do, butterfly knives and three section staff.

Chinese kung fu is a deeply-rooted part of the country's 5000-year-old civilization. This art is as much of the culture of China as tea. It’s said that Chinese Kung Fu is the oldest method of combat training from which all other styles and methods derived. As early as the late 6th century, Chinese Kung Fu is thought to have been introduced to the Okinawan people as Karate. Chinese Kung Fu is arguably one of the oldest styles of martial arts.

A good martial arts system combines the mind and the body.  As well as practical self defense.  The movements are combined in sets or forms.  These forms are like living dictionaries of all the movements.  This is how the old masters would pass down their arts to the next generations.  As complex as most martial arts systems are the Chinese kung fu systems can take a lifetime to master.