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Shaolin Boxing
Shaolin Quan
Style coming from Shaolin temple on Song Mountain, Henan Province. According to the legend it was Boddhidharma (Damo), an Indian monk, who introduced physical exercises for the monks in 6th century? Few years later 13 monks helped Prince Li Shimin (599 - 649) against a rebel and brought a martial reputation to the temple (they also bought back the Imperial Decree that authorised them to drink alcohol and eat meat). But it is most probable that the real Shaolin quan, as a style, was created by Bai Yufeng in 15th century. This style have a huge amount forms as the temple was a place of exchange for all martial artists of the country so many "non-shaolin" forms have been integrated and many "shaolin" were borrowed to create some other styles. This is why the shaolin substyles are countless. The Shaolin "animal" system is more related with the "southern shaolin temple" wherever this temple is. There is no time where Shaolin quan only consisted of neither animal boxing, nor that this "system" (??) was the Shaolin quan (animal imitating forms are known as xiangxing quan).
Main features: great diversity of techniques, multiple level attacks, qinna, use of Jing.
Note: Modern shaolin monks performing Martial arts shows all around the world are young kids trained in Dengfeng wushu guan. They are sponsored by Chinese Government and even if they are wonderful athletes they are not practising "ancient and true" Shaolin quan as they claim. I even doubt that anyone can really pretend to know the genuine Shaolin quan. So it may rather be useful to consider Shaolin quan like a background in which many worthy schools are rooted.