Shaolin
History and Background
The Shaolin Temple was named after its location in the forest (pronounced as "lin" in Chinese) on Shaoshi Mountain. It was built in the 19th year of the reign of Emperor Xiaowen during the North Wei Dynasty (495 AD).
In the year 527 AD the Bodhidharma came to China from India to spread his philosophy of Zen Buddhism. On his arrival at the Shaolin temple, he was intoxicated by the charming and inspiring landscape and the fertile cultural soil there. Alone, he entered the cave beneath the Wuru peak and sat before the cave-wall for nine years. When he was finished, incredibly his image was printed into the wall, and the famous "wall-facing rock" can still be seen today. It is hard to ascertain whether the "shadow-printed rock" is genuine or not but one thing is sure, that is when Bodhidharma came out of that cave a new Buddhist sect, the Zen, was brought forth into the world. At the very beginning, Bodhidharma just taught Buddhism but later he began to teach fist in order to keep the monks who protected the temple strong. Over the years many high–level Kungfu artists took refuge in the Shaolin temple and using their knowledge Shaolin Kungfu became complete.
Characteristics of Shaolin Kungfu
The main stances of Shaolin Kung Fu are bow stance and horse stance and the range of the movements is big and powerful. Shaolin also utilizes shouting to focus the practitioner’s power.
Shaolin boxing emphasizes skill. In practicing it is not limited by space: The saying goes “a boxer can practice where only one ox can lie down". In other words, a Shaolin boxer can beat his opponent within the space of a few steps. Another saying "boxing goes along a line", indicates that when practicing boxing including rising, falling, turning, crouching and jumping, the movements should be conducted along a straight line. As to the specific moves, they should be neither "absolutely bent nor absolutely straight". Too much bend would reduce the power; to much straightness would influence the flexibility.
Shaolin boxing is hard, strong, fast and, according to the Chinese, is "filled with softness inside." It is also plain and practical with every action, both in attack and defense as well as in posture. The Shaolin style embodies a word - hard. It is practiced with both attack and defense, but mostly attack. The form is not only beautiful, but also practical. Shaolin teaches you how to advance, how to retreat, how to react and punch directly in front of you. The footwork must be both stable and flexible, the eyes are required to stare at the opponent’s eyes and the breathing must focus Qi "down to your dan tian” before being released. "The action is as fast as a flash, spinning like a turning wheel, stable like a pine and leaping like a fly."
Shaolin boxing is divided into two schools, Southern, which emphasizes fists, and Northern, which emphasizes legs. There are many styles also within both Southern and Northern Shaolin.
When attacking with boxing, both forward and backward actions are done in a "turning manner", eyes move along with the hand. As to the body movements, the stress is laid on swiftness and an absolute mastery of the gravity centre so that a perfect and kinetic balance is kept. For the kicking movements, the leg should be as light as a feather when lifting and heavy as the Mount Tai when kicking.
Shaolin Forms
Shaolin fist forms:
There are a great many Shaolin fist forms: luo han quan, xiao hong quan, da hong quan, shaolin wu quan, zhao yang quan, lian huan quan, gong li quan, tan tui, rou quan, liu he quan, nei gong quan, tai zu chang quan, pao quan, di tang quan, shaolin quan, mei hua quan, tong bei quan, jin gang quan, qi xing quan, xin yi quan, fu hu quan, drunken fist, monkey fist, fan zi quan, eagle fist, chicken fist, puma fist, crane fist, dragon fist, tiger fist, snake fist, duck fist, dog fist, mantis fist, toad fist to name but a few.
Amongst the multitude of performance sparring forms there are san he quan, yao shou liu he quan, ti da liu he quan, fifteen he li wai heng pao, twenty four pao, shaolin dui quan, a hundred and eight dui quan, hua quan settled sparring, jie tan tui.
There are Eighteen kinds of Shaolin martial arts weapons including broadsword, spear, straightsword and staff.
Shaolin forms we teach here:
Fist forms
| Form name in Pinyin | English translation |
| sanshiliu lu hua quan | Thirty six Road Flower Fist |
| meihua shi ba panda | Plum Flower Eighteen Striking |
| shaolin sanjiao lianda | Shaolin Triangle Continuous Striking |
| jingang shaolin shi er tui | Immortal Shaolin Twelve Legs |
| baji jin gang quan | Baji Jingang Fist |
| shaolin xia shan hu | Shaolin Tiger Go Downhill |
| shaolin wu xing zhang | Shaolin Five Elements Palm |
| shaolin pao quan | ShaoLin Cannon Fist |
| shaolin qilu kuaibu duanda | Shaolin Seven Road Short-hit With Quick Step |
| shaolin dalijingang zhang | Shaolin Great Exertion Immortal Palm |
| Shaolin luohan quan | Shaolin Arhat Boxing |
| Shaolin hu quan | Shaolin Tiger Style Boxing |
Weapon forms
| Form name in Pinyin | English translation |
| shaolin po fengdao | Shaolin Wind Splashing Broadsword |
| shaolin lianhuan qiang | Shaolin Continuous Spear |
| shaolin qilin liuhe gun | Shaolin Kylin Six combination Staff |
| Shaolin san jie gun | Shaolin Three-sectional Stuff |
| Shaolin shuanggou | Shaolin Hook Sword |