"At least 977 types of centuries-old Chinese sports have withstood the test of time, becoming a unique part of the 21st-century sports scene,"said Li Yin, director of the China Sports Intangible Cultural Heritage Research Institute. "Of these well-kept sport skills, 129 are traditional martial arts skills, both useful in self-defense and health building."

Aiming to help readers quickly grasp theseclassical regimens or martial skills and their historical and cultural background, compilers have filled Intangible Cultural Heritage Sports for Better Health with rich text, colored photos and videosthat readers can get by scanning a QR code with a smartphone. And to suit the needs of readers of different age groups, some traditional exercises featured in the book have been modified to make them less physically challenging, noted Zhu Xiaofeng, an editor with the People's Sports Publishing House.