What year did shaolin Kung Fu begin?

Answer 1

The monks of Shaolin began to train in military weapons sometime before the 7th-century in order to protect the monastery from mountain bandits. They were known primarily for their spear and staff skills for the better part of 1,000 years. It is important to note that there were periods when the monks fell out of practice, so specialists from outside the monastery had to be brought in to rejuvenate the tradition. Evidence of unarmed combat emerges during the 17th-century. It was during this period that the monks combined Daoist breathing exercises with boxing to create a new form of spiritual enlightenment.

For more, see the book The Shaolin Monastery (2008) by Prof. Meir Shahar.