Bodhidharma atop Mt Song

On the Northern China Plains there are four holy mountains: Mt. Tai, Mt. Hua, Mt. Heng, and Mt. Song. Mt. Song, in Dengfeng country, Henan province, is in the center of the holy mountains, so it is also known as the Middle Holy Mountain. Emperor We Di of the Han Dynasty visited this mountain in 110 B.C.

Since then, emperors of succeeding dynasties either came in person or sent special envoys to pay homage to Mt. Song. Many memorial halls, Buddhist and Daoist temples, stone arches, and inscribed tablets were erected over the years.

At the foot of Mt. Song is the Shaolin Temple. In 496 A.D. Emperor Wen Di of the Northern Wei dynasty built the Shaolin Temple for an Indian Buddhist monk by the name of Batuo. In 527 A.D. another Indian monk, Bodhidharma, arrived at the Shaolin Temple to spread another sect of Buddhism, which practiced deep meditation in a sitting posture, keeping the mind tranquil and as unaffected as a wall. Bodhidharma became a very famous monk at the Temple and had many followers.

In 527 A.D. Bodhidharma promoted meditation that included sitting for a long period of time. This made the limbs of the monks grow numb, so Bodhidharma developed a set of exercises that helped the monks to limber up. Over many generations, other monks improved these exercises by combining them with the Wushu of the local people. The diligence with which the monks practiced these Wushu movements can be seen from the deep impressions left by their feet in the brick floor of the exercise room of the Hall of the Thousand Buddhas.

To the Northwest of the Shaolin Temple, within walking distance are 241 brick pagodas where the remains of the prominent monks of the Tang dynasty through to the Qing dynasty are entombed.

Ancient Shaolin Pagoda

To the northwest is the Bodhidharma Cave in which, it is said, the first Abbot meditated for over nine years. To the southwest is the terrace and the Second Abbot Hut where Monk Hui Ke was treated for his wound after he cut his arm off. Scattered around to the east, south and north are ancient brick pagodas preserving the remains of accomplished monks.

The Shaolin Temple became very famous, especially during the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties.

The Shaolin Temple was burned down three times in its history. The last fire was set by warlord Shi Yousan in 1928. The immense establishment was almost wiped out, along with highly valued records and works of literature.

In the Seventh courtyard there is the Hall of One Thousand Buddhas. In the old days, monks practiced martial arts there. Long years of practicing in squatting positions caused the monks' feet to rub 48 pairs of footprints in the brick floor. A mural describes five hundred Luohan Buddhas. East of the Hall of One Thousand Buddhas is the White Garment Hall, also known as the Hall of Wushu Charts. In it are two murals, one describing the thirteen monks rescuing Prince Qin, and the other showing monks performing drilling techniques.

Flanking each hall are wing houses. Along both sides of the Stone Tablet Forest a covered corridor was built to house the more important stone inscriptions on the east, and a boxing chart hall on the west, in which 14 groups of 215 life size clay figures demonstrate Shaolin Wushu and legends of the monks.

Now this historical spot is fully renovated. Within easy reach of Zhengzhou, capital of Henan province, and Luoyang, the capital of nine of China's oldest dynasties, Mt. Song and the Shaolin Temple have become major tourist attractions.

Chinese Wushu is divided into two main categories: the Northern and the Southern. Shaolin Leads the Northern category. Combining both external and internal, and the "hard and soft" exercises, Shaolin Wushu consists of barehanded boxing and weaponry combat.

Boxing is the foundation of Wushu and Shaolin boxing serves as the basis of other kinds of Wushu. Shaolin boxing has compactly designed routines, (Shaolin Chun Fa) our style. Its movements are quick, powerful, and flexible; both are practical for self defense and attack. The most outstanding characteristic of Shaolin boxing is that the practitioner works on one straight line. It means that his movements of advancing, retreating, turning around, sideways, or jumping are restrained on one line. His arms are kept slightly bent so that he can stretch out to attack or withdraw for self defense freely.

Another characteristic of Shaolin Wushu is to maintain the body in perfect balance, as stable as a mountain. The practitioner should keep tranquil and strike with great force and speed. He should be good at 'borrowing" force from the opponent. He should not meet the opponent's strike head on, but take advantage of the striker's force and go along with it to bring him down. The Shaolin saying: "Using a force of four ounces to ward off a force of a thousand weights."

The practice of Shaolin Wushu does not need a large space. A Shaolin saying: "Shaolin boxing fights within an area where a cow can lie down." His movements should be as dexterous as a cat, his striking as a tiger, his moving as a dragon, his advancing as lightning and yelling as thunder.

There are many routines. External exercises include minor Hong Boxing, Greater Hong Boxing, Old Hong Boxing, Chaoyang Boxing, Chang Boxing, Plum Blossom Boxing, Cannon Boxing, Louhan Buddha Boxing, Tongbei Boxing, Wudong Boxing, Dragon Out of the Sea Boxing, and Shooting Star Boxing. For the internal exercises, there are Xingyi Boxing and Juji Boxing.

Shaolin Wushu also contains many weaponry routines. Highly skilled combat techniques with weapons are closely related to the military training at the Shaolin Temple in the old days.

The spear is regarded as the "King of Ancient Weapons".

The Broad Sword is regarded as the "Commander of the Weapons". The single broad sword play, in particular, makes the atmosphere like tigers in a fight.

The sword is regarded as the "Gentleman of the Weapons". It should be played like a swimming dragon to show gallantry with militant force, though with grace.

The Cudgel is the oldest weapon. In primitive times, man used it to hunt and for self defense. It is regarded as the "Root of Weapons". The Shaolin monks have been known throughout history for their high skills in cudgel play.

Shaolin Wushu also includes the mace, hook, sickle, stick, spade, ring, and whip.

Weapon combats are divided into single and dual exercises.

Bare-hand fighting and breathing exercises of the Shaolin style also have many unique characteristics.

The Shaolin Wushu styles have and still include many animal movements. The most famous were, and still are the Shaolin Five Animals: the Tiger, Leopard, Snake, Crane, and the Dragon.

Although we teach many of the animals in our system of Shaolin Chun Fa, (Kempo), the five animals are the essence of our system.