Shaolin kung fu: Difference between revisions

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====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>

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.

 

 

The ABC TV series ''Kung Fu'' (1972-1974) starring [[David Carradine]] as a fugitive Shaolin monk traveling the Western United States in search of his brother helped to popularize Shaolin Kung Fu with the general American TV audience.

<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>