More than 3,800 kungfu athletes from across the world have come to Mount Emei in southwest China to participate in a world martial arts competition.

The 7th World Kungfu Championship kicked off Tuesday in the city of Emeishan in southwest China's Sichuan Province and will last until Saturday.

Among the athletes at the biennial event are 2,400 Chinese and 1,400 overseas competitors from 56 countries and regions, mainly the United States, Japan, Chinese Hong Kong, Russia and Canada, according to the organizers.

The championship, known as the "Martial Arts Olympics," is co-hosted by the International Wushu Federation and the Chinese Wushu Association.

It aims to foster friendships and interest in kungfu for people of all ages and varying skill, as well as preserve the traditional styles and practices of Chinese traditional wushu.