The moment you hear about Asian culture, martial arts might be the first idea that comes to mind. In a general sense, many see martial arts as a sport that involves hurting each other. Contrary to this belief, martial arts have also had a rich religious history. You might think that religion and martial arts are contradictory to each other, how can they mix? Religion plays an important factor in faith, but especially in lifestyle. Religion has contributed greatly to the structure and foundations of Asian martial arts, including not only as foundations, but also as a manifestation of religious ideas and movements outside of Asia. Specifically, the early religions of Buddhism, Daoism, and Confucianism provide the basis for most Eastern religions. The main, and much older, contribution to the beginning of martial arts was the religion of Buddhism. Branching out from Hinduism, Buddhism emphasizes the idea of ​​meditation. Buddhist meditation, although it can be used in other branches, is most emphasized in the Chan (Zen) Buddhist sect. According to legend, the founder of Zen Buddhism was an Indian monk named Bohdidharma who traveled throughout China. It is also known as Da Mo in China, or in Japanese culture Darumain (Irons). In his travels he desired to achieve enlightenment through intense meditation. Zazen, or sitting meditation, is a significant practice of Zen Buddhist belief. Legends state that, like Siddhartha Gautama, Bohdidharma took a long time to meditate. During his nine years of meditation, he also suffered physical declines as his legs weakened. It is very iconic to see Bohdidharma sitting, as daruma dolls in Japan are used to depict......center of card......ale, 2011. Print. 6 vols. Irons, Edward A. "Bohdidharma." ABC-CLIO eBook Collection. Np, nd Web. 15 February 2012. .Newcombe, Suzanne. “Cosmic energy”. ABC-CLIO eBook Collection. Np, nd Web. 16 February 2012. .Pendergast, Sara and Tom Pendergast. St. James Encyclopedia of Pop Culture. vol. 3. Detroit: Gale, 2000. Print. 5 vols. Siegler, Elia. “Daoism”. ABC-CLIO eBook Collection. Np, nd Web. 15 February 2012. .- - -. “Taoist Tai Chi Society”. ABC-CLIO eBook Collection. Np, nd Web. 16 February. 2012. .