Shaolin kung fu: Difference between revisions

{{short description|Chinese martial art}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2024}}

{{Infobox martial art

| imagesize =

| name = Shaolin kung fu

| focus = [[Hybrid martial arts|Hybrid]]

| hardness = [[Full contact karate|Full-contact]], [[semi-contact]], [[light-contact]]

| olympic = No

}}

 

{{TOC limit}}

 

==History==

===Chinese martial arts before Shaolin===

Chinese historical records, like ''Spring and Autumn Annals of Wu and Yue'', the ''Bibliographies in the Book of the Han Dynasty,'' the ''Records of the Grand Historian,'' and other sources document the existence of martial arts in China for thousands of years. For example, the Chinese martial art of wrestling, ''[[Shuai Jiao]]'', predates the establishment of Shaolin temple by several centuries.<ref name=canzon/> Since Chinese monasteries were large landed estates that made a considerable regular income, monks required some form of protection. Historical discoveries indicate that, even before the establishment of Shaolin temple, monks had been armed and also practiced martial arts.<ref name=hanning/> In 1784 the ''Boxing Classic: Essential Boxing Methods'' made the earliest extant reference to the Shaolin Monastery as Chinese boxing's place of origin.<ref name="Henning"/><ref name=kongzhao/> This is, however, a misconception,<ref name=wkk/><ref name=ofc/> but even the fact that such a mistake could be made helps to show the historical importance of Shaolin kung fu.

 

====Bodhidharma's influence====

 

The idea that Bodhidharma founded martial arts at the Shaolin Temple was spread in the 20th century, however, this idea came from a debunked apocryphal 17th century legend that claimed Bodhidharma taught the monks philosophies of [[Chan Buddhism]], in which the monks were then able to use these philosophies to create their own combat techniques of Shaolin kung fu. The idea of Bodhidharma influencing Shaolin boxing is based on a [[Qigong]] manual written during the 17th century. This is when a Taoist with the [[pen name]] 'Purple Coagulation Man of the Way' wrote the ''[[Yijin Jing|Sinews Changing Classic]]'' in 1624, but claimed to have discovered it. The first of two prefaces of the manual traces this succession from Bodhidharma to the Chinese general [[Li Jing (Tang dynasty)|Li Jing]] via "a chain of Buddhist saints and martial heroes."<ref name=shahar/>{{rp|at=p165}} The work itself is full of anachronistic mistakes and even includes a popular character from Chinese fiction, the 'Qiuran Ke' ('Bushy Bearded Hero') ({{lang|zh|虬髯客}}), as a lineage master.<ref name=liu/> [[Scholar-official]]s as far back as the Qing dynasty have taken note of these mistakes. The scholar Ling Tinkang (1757–1809) described the author as an "ignorant village master."<ref name=shahar/>{{rp|at=p168}} Even then, the association of Bodhidharma with martial arts only became widespread as a result of the 1904–1907 serialization of the novel ''The Travels of Lao Ts'an'' in ''Illustrated Fiction Magazine'':<ref>{{cite journal|last=Henning|first=Stanley|title=The Chinese Martial Arts in Historical Perspective|journal=Journal of the Chenstyle Taijiquan Research Association of Hawaii|volume=2|issue=3|year=1994|pages=1–7|url=http://themartialscholar.yolasite.com/resources/henning.pdf}}</ref>

==Contents==

[[File:Shaolin monks.jpg|thumb|right|Shaolin monks demonstrate kung fu.]]

 

 

 

 

Shaolin kung fu has more than hundreds of extant styles. There is recorded documentation of more than a thousand extant forms, which makes Shaolin the biggest school of martial art in the world. In the [[Qing dynasty]] (1644–1911), Shaolin monks chose 100 of the best styles of Shaolin kung fu. Then they shortlisted the 18 most famous of them. However, every lineage of Shaolin monks have always chosen their own styles. Every style teaches unique methods for fighting ({{zh|c=散打|p=sàndǎ| labels=no}}) and keeping health via one or a few [[Taolu (martial arts)|forms]]. To learn a complete system, Shaolin monks master a number of styles and weapons. The most famous styles of Shaolin kung fu are:

 

* [[Luohan (martial arts)#Shaolin Luohan's 18 hands|Arhat's 18 hands]] ({{zh|c=罗汉十八手|p=luóhàn shíbā shǒu| labels=no}}): known as the oldest style.

* Explosive style ({{zh|c=炮拳|p=pàoquán| labels=no}}): known as the king of the styles,

* Penetrating-Arms style ({{zh|c=通臂拳|p=tōngbìquán| labels=no}}),

* [[Meihuaquan#Shaolin Meihuaquan|Plum Blossom style]] ({{zh|c=梅花拳|p=méihuāquán| labels=no}}),

* Facing & Bright Sun style ({{zh|c=朝&昭 阳拳|p=cháo & zhāo yáng quán| labels=no}}),

* [[Luohan (martial arts)#Shaolin Luohan quan|Arhat style]] ({{zh|c=罗汉拳|p=luóhànquán| labels=no}}): known as the most representative style,

* Emperor's Long-range style ({{zh|c=太祖长拳|p=tàizǔ chángquán| labels=no}}): known as the most graceful style,

* [[Drunken boxing|Drunken style]] ({{zh|c=醉拳|p=zuìquán| labels=no}}),

 

Several films have been produced, particularly during the 70s and early 80s, about Shaolin kung fu. Films such as 36th Chamber of Shaolin, The Shaolin Temple, and Shaolin Wooden Men. Modern films include [[Shaolin Soccer]] and Shaolin.{{citation needed|date=October 2023}}

 

 

Shaolin kung fu is one of the styles used by [[Mortal Kombat]] protagonist [[Liu Kang]]. His Pao Chui, Choy Lay Fut, Monkey Fist, and Dragon moves derive from Shaolin kung fu. <ref>{{Cite web |title=Shaolin, the Influence - Video Games |url=https://depts.washington.edu/triolive/quest/2007/TTQ07031/influences/gen_media/video_games.html#:~:text=Mortal%20Kombat%20-%20Liu%20Kang&text=Of%20his%20martial%20arts%20styles,foundations%20of%20martial%20arts%20backgrounds. |access-date=13 August 2023 |website=depts.washington.edu}}</ref>

Shaolin monks (referred to simply as "monks" in-game) appear in the [[roguelike]] game [[NetHack]], along with [[samurai]]. They are one of the two roles to use martial arts skills, with monks having the most powerful martial arts skills in the game.

 

 

==References==

<ref name=liu>{{cite book |title=The Chinese Knight Errant |first=James J.Y. |last=Liu |year=1967 |publisher=London: Routledge and Kegan Paul |isbn=0-2264-8688-5 |pages=87–88 }}</ref>

 

 

<ref name=francis>{{cite book |title=Power of Internal Martial Arts: Combat Secrets of Ba Gua, Tai Chi, and Hsing-I |first=B.K. |last=Francis |year=1998 |publisher=North Atlantic Books }}</ref>