March 27, 2006

Shaolin Kungfu (martial arts) originated in the Shaolin Temple at the foot of Songshan Mountain in Dengfeng, Henan Province. It was named after the temple, one of China's most famous ancient temples, built in 495. In fact, the martial art was the manifestation of the wisdom of the monks of the temple, secular martial arts masters and army generals and soldiers. The temple once had many monks on its premises. Those monks of the lower level mostly came from the secular society and some of them knew some martial arts before entering the temple. Those who knew martial arts taught and helped each other to improve their skills. They also absorbed the experience of their predecessors and gradually developed their martial arts into the unique Shaolin-school.

The kungfu was created during the Northern Wei Dynasty (368-534) at the temple. During the Northern Qi Dynasty (550-577), Shaolin monks could lift hundreds of kilograms in weight and were good at boxing and horse riding. The kungfu became well known during the Tang Dynasty (618-907), when Shaolin monks rescued an emperor's life. The emperor awarded his followers according to their military merits and contributions. A Shaolin monk had the title of chief general conferred on him, while the temple was given large grants of land and money to expand the temple complex and was allowed to organize an army of monk soldiers, who acted as military people in warring times and as monks in peacetime.

The Shaolin monks in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) were all taught to practice martial arts. In 1553, the Shaolin military monks took part in the battles against Japanese invaders in south China and accomplished many military exploits. It was in the latter half of the Ming Dynasty that Shaolin monks switched from cudgel fighting to fist fighting, so that fistfights could be promoted to match cudgel fights. In the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), the people living around the temple were very active in practicing martial arts, boosting the development of the kungfu. In the temple, the rear hall was used for kungfu exercises, where various kinds of weapons were displayed on the weapon stands ready for use at any time. Some monks practiced fistfights to safeguard the temple. After years of exercises and practicing, footprints were stamped on the brick floor of the rear hall and these prints can be seen clearly even today. On the north and south walls of the White-Clothes Hall, there are Qing Dynasty murals vividly depicting the exercises practiced by monks in the temple. In 1727, people were not allowed to practice martial arts. However, they could not be stopped either in the secular society or in the temple, where martial arts were practiced underground. Around the 1911 Revolution against the Qing Dynasty, the kungfu underwent further developments. Martial arts clubs were established all over the country and most of them took the kungfu. Lots of patriots organized saber and flying sword groups in order to overthrow the dynasty. They constantly practiced their skills and contributed greatly to the cause.

The kungfu is famous for its vigorous, powerful, simple, unadorned, and unpredictable style. Its moves and tricks are short, simple and succinct as well as versatile. While fighting, the masters would advance and retreat straightforwardly. They need only a small space to execute their style of fistfight described as "fighting along a single straight line". The motto of the Shaolin fistfight says "hardness first and softness second". When jabbing or palming, the arm is required to be neither bent nor straight, in an attempt to blend external and internal forces.

Nowadays, there are 130 series of its skills and tricks, including Shadow Boxing, Shaolin Boxing, and Southern Boxing. It combines Buddhism and the Chan sect to form a unique Shaolin Culture. The kungfu is very popular in secular society with a myriad of followers.

As one of the most influential schools of martial arts in China, the kungfu has derived into various schools. Apart from the temple at Songshan Mountain, the Shaolin Temple was said to have set up more than a dozen affiliates in other temples in the country. Throughout history, Shaolin masters have come from various religious backgrounds, including Buddhist, Taoist, Confucian, Christian and Muslim. There also have been masters who have claimed to profess no religion.

After the film entitled "Shaolin Temple" was released in the early 1980s, the temple and the kungfun have been well known all over the world. People practice the kungfu for self-defense, health, vitality, mind expansion and spiritual development.

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