The Wushu Research Institute of China is an authoritative body for conducting Chinese Wushu research. The book Essentials of Chinese Wushu was written by Wu Bin, Director of the Teaching and Research Section of the Institute, Li Xingdong, Wushu researcher, and Yu Gongbao, Qigong researcher.

The authors give a simple and clear introduction to the history and characteristic features of Chinese Wushu; its health-keeping effects and entertaining value, various schools and styles of Chinese boxing, and weapons, and Chinese Wushu's morality, etiquette and competition rules.

This book also introduces over 30 different schools of Chinese boxing and almost the same number of apparatus, including short apparatus, long apparatus, hard apparatus, soft apparatus and hidden weapons used in ancient China.

From the book, readers may gain a general understanding of Chinese Wushu, its history and its current state.

Included in this book are some 70 pictures, from which readers can vividly see graceful postures of various kinds of Chinese boxing and Wushu apparatus.