“Every human being, to a large extent, is called to deal with two common things: his internal world and the external world.”

Shaolin Kung Fu has a meditative, artistic, and martial purpose. The thousands of evolved styles broadly fall into two categories:

Temple Style: Taught and practised within the temple by the monks.

Non-Temple (civilian/Lay Styles): Taught to visitors who came to the temple to receive instructions and teachings on Buddhism. They were taught a shaolin-created style called Choy Li Fut.

“For every shaolin style practised, there is a corresponding lay practice.” The reason for this is that a Shaolin monk would teach a style (or a large part of the style) to non-Shaolin family members or a trusted friend. Tai Chi Chuan is one such non-temple style.

What Is Tai Chi Chuan?

In English, Tai Chi translates as “the supreme ultimate fist,” while Chuan refers to a boxing method that brings the two opposite energies, Yin (soft) and Yang (hard), together. As it emphasises the internal aspects of the body — breathing, mind, and internal energies — it is known as internal kung fu. It is an excellent discipline for people of all ages, combining serene movements for health and well-being with a strong fighting system.

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No Shaolin master is a mindless master. Shaolin is like a great nest of ants. Some are moving grains of sand out of the nest, while others are focused on keeping the tunnels clear so that the entire nest may remain sound. Yet others pick up a grain of sand and become obsessed with the fate of the single grain of sand. It is for this reason that Shaolin Kung Fu has a repertoire of more styles than anyone has actually counted.

Necessity necessitates styles

The topographical location of the Shaolin temples and their cornerstone philosophy of observing nature to achieve a Buddhist goal of seeing past illusions were the reasons styles metamorphosed. It is said that even as early as the 20th century, Chinese trade caravans required heavy security as protection against thieves and marauders and wild animals, but the Shaolin monks moved and travelled with much greater freedom than the average Chinese citizen purely because of their combat skills, which had adapted and evolved over time.

Nature Nurtures

Nature per se is not more idyllic than the human world. As Darwin’s friend Herbert Spencer describes, “Nature is red in tooth and claw.” The survival law of nature is “Kill or be killed, eat or be eaten, slither silently but carry a formidable arsenal.” It must be said that nature’s study was not intended to emulate animals under study because an observing Shaolin practitioner is human and basically humane by nature. These observed principles and movements of nature’s wild were meant to nurture skills for self-defence to be used as an advantage against adversity.

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“Weak mind, weak fist; strong mind, no need for fist.”
— Shaolin saying

It is generally believed that Bodhidharma (Tamo, his Chinese given name), a travelling Buddhist monk, when in China, initiated a concept of fitness for the monks (the 18 Lohan movements, a series of postures with yoga breathing) and self-defence techniques. These initiations were due to circumstantial and existential situations. Historically, evidence shows that fighting, like kalarippayattu, Indian wrestling, and Chinese boxing, existed much before Buddha was born (the birth of Siddhartha Gautama of the Shakya clan was in 563 BC). Bodhidharma (Tamo) did not invent a martial art style called Gung Fu. Tamo’s true claim rests in being the first patriarch of the Buddhist practice known in China as Chan and in Japan and the rest of the world as Zen.

Shaolin Gung Fu

Shaolin Gung Fu is made up of two words:

1. Shaolin (Sil Lun in southern China) is a sect or a school of Chan (Zen) Buddhism. It encourages a practical interpretation of a spiritual path, avoiding religious and scriptural trappings, but believes in a life based on meditation.

2. Gung Fu means hard work or skilled effort and was originally used in reference to the gruelling years of practice that were necessary to achieve mastery of a style. Over the years, this martial art has been known as Chuan Fa (fist arts), Kuoshu (pronounced Gwo-Shoo), which means ‘national art’, Chung-Kuo Chuan (Chinese boxing), Wu Kung (effective use of martial force), Chuan Shu (fist art), and Wushu.

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