Temple | Kung Fu | Chan (Buddhism)
Shaolin Temple
The construction of the Shaolin Monastery of the Song Shan Mountain started in the nineteenth year of emperor Tai He of Northern Wei about 1,500 years ago (495AD). The monastery was built by Emperor Xiao Wen of Northern Wei for the purpose of accommodating the visiting monk BO TO Le from India Later, Bodhidharma (Damo), a senior monk from India, arrived also at the Song Shan Monastery. He took residence in a cave in the Wu Ru Peak, which is situated behind the Shaolin Monastery. Bodhidharma meditated there in absolute silence for nine years, sitting in across-legged stance, facing the rock wall. He then established the doctrine of Buddhism in China and has been recognized as the first patriarch of the Chan (Zen) sect in China. The Shaolin Monastery has also been recognized and revered as the sacred founding site of Chinese Chan Buddhism.
It flourished in the Tang and Song dynasties and reached the peak of development in Yuan and Ming dynasties. According to the records in historic books, the Shaolin Temple had suffered from natural and man made disasters during the last 1500 years. However, the monks of the Shaolin Temple had endured and carried forward their tradition and culture. The Shaolin Temple was the origin of Chan Buddhism. The combined ideas of Chan and martial arts as one are the soul of the Shaolin Kung-Fu system. From 1951 to 1996, the decades of the long renovation of the Shaolin Temple had made a revival into the modern era.
Shaolin Kung Fu
This is a combination of spirit and power.
An outcome of belief and wits steeling.
A natural integration of Chan Buddhism and martial arts.
An ancient culture with 1500 year history.
The Shaolin Monastery is recognized as the originating site of the Shaolin Kung Fu. Shaolin Kung Fu was refers specifically to a martial art system developed within the Shaolin Monastery of the SongShan Mountain. It was established within the Buddhist culture and rooted deeply in the spiritual nature of Buddhism. It also reflects fully the inner wisdom of Chan Buddhism. The traditional cultural system in manifested through the martial arts demonstrations by the monks from the Shaolin monastery. The system has three characteristics, a complete fighting system, the sole heir of the unique Buddhist culture and the seeker and preserver of the indomitable Shaolin spirit. As a result, Shaolin Kung Fu is considered one of the top Chinese martial art styles because of its long history. It is a fully developed training program with historical records handed down within the Shaolin Monastery. There are 708 Shaolin Kung Fu sets in existence, out of which 552 sets are designed for fist methods and various weapons. The remaining 156 sets cover 72 secret techniques and training methods for grappling, free fighting, joint locking, attacking acupuncture points, and Qigong.
The physical manifestation of Shaolin Kung Fu centers on its possible use in combat. Each set contains a series of movements which are based on the human anatomy and natural movements of the body. The movements within each set emphasize the mixing of action and response, balancing of Yin and Yang energies, combining soft and hard movements, and exhibiting one’s spirit of vitality in the postures. Among the movements' principles, the most important one is the ‘The Six Coordinations.’ They are: the coordination of one’s hands with the feet, one’s knees with the elbows, one’s shoulders with the hips, one’s mind with the intent, one’s intent with Qi, and one’s Qi with the physical strength. Training involves one’ state of mind, and one’s whole body covering the hands, eyes, body, footwork, and knowledge in martial applications so that all parts will act as one naturally and effortlessly.
Shaolin Chan (Buddhism)
A word about Chan (zen): it is a form of history, an unique culture and a certain spirit, a great wisdom derived from one's sudden enlightenment. One cannot understand Chan through reasoning. Yet we can practice Chan in our daily lives through moving, walking, sitting or lying down. In Farming, there is Farming Chan and in Martial training, there is Martial Chan.
Training in Shaolin Gungfu does not set apart from Chan (zen) thoughts. The central thought in Shaolin Gungfu is the “Unification of Chan and martial.” In fact, the soul of Shaolin Gungfu is the firm belief in the wisdom of Chan Buddhism. Since Shaolin Gungfu exists with in the Walls of the Shaolin Monastery as the center of its cultural environment, it became natural for the monks living in the Monastery to practice Shaolin Gungfu as a way of studying Chan Buddhism. Later, the monks further advanced their martial skills by patterning after the Buddhist’s life style of “No-permanence and No-self” (a Buddhist doctrine) as well as adding the indomitable spirit of continuous searching for wisdom and courage. As a result, they improved their martial skills as well as elevated further the spirit of the Shaolin Gungfu. While refining and advancing their martial skills, the also emphasized the cultivation of their minds and hearts. Thus the Shaolin monks considered their martial training as an important aspect for their religious pursuit.