527 AD - Bodhidharma (Tamo)

Bodhidharma came to China around 527 BC to teach philosophies of Ch'an Buddhism. Next, he traveled to Guangzhou (Kwang Chou) in Southern China around 528 AD. From there, he traveled North across the Tangtzu River to the Shaolin Temple. He is known to have initiated the origins of martial arts and influenced its future.