Sever years ago, a film named Shaolin Temple has not only attracted numerous people' attention from all over the world, but also made Shaolin Temple and Shaolin Wushu popular. In recent years, more and more people have come to China to learn such kind of Chinese martial art. If you want to know more about Shaolin Wushu, go on reading!
Sever years ago, a film named Shaolin Temple has not only attracted numerous people' attention from all over the world, but also made Shaolin Temple and Shaolin Wushu popular. In recent years, more and more people have come to China to learn such kind of Chinese martial art. If you want to know more about Shaolin Wushu, go on reading!
History of Shaolin Wushu
Shaolin Wushu (Shaolin Martial Art) is one of the most influential genres of Chinese martial art, and it's named after the Shaolin Temple located in Dengfeng County, Henan Province. The monks in the Shaolin Temple began to study martial art during the Southern and Northern Dynasties and this tradition prevailed during the Sui and the Tang dynasties (581-907). Shaolin Wushu is famous both at home and abroad as a highly effective method of self-defense and health-building. Combining both external and internal, and "hard" and "soft" exercises, Shaolin Wushu involves various methods of fighting techniques, consisting of barehanded boxing and weaponry combat.
Characteristics of Shaolin Wushu
The Shaolin boxing has compactly designed routines. Its movements are quick, powerful and flexible; both practical for defense and attack. The most outstanding characteristic of Shaolin boxing is that the practitioner works on one straight line. It means that the practitioners’ movements of advancing, retreating, turning around, sideways, or jumping are restrained on one line. Their arms are kept slightly bent so that they can stretch out to attack or withdraw freely for self defense. Another characteristic of Shaolin Wushu is to maintain the body in perfect balance, as stable as a mountain. The practitioners should keep a tranquil mind but strike with great force and speed. They should be good at "borrowing" force from the opponent. That is, they should not meet the opponent's strikes head-on, but take advantage of the striker's force and go along with it to bring him to ward off a force of a thousand weights. The practitioner should know how to make feigned strikes and when striking, hit the vital parts of the opponent. The movements should be as dexterous as a cat, the shaking as a tiger, the moving as a dragon, the advancing as lightning and the yelling as thunder.
What's more, Shaolin Wushu is a very convenient sport, for the practice does not need a large space and is not affected by weather or the kind of weapons used.
Routines of Shaolin Wushu
There are many routines of Shaolin Wushu. External exercises include Minor Hong Boxing, Greater Hong Boxing, Old Hong Boxing, Chaoyang Boxing, Chang Boxing, Plum Blossom Boxing, Cannon Boxing, Luohan Buddha Boxing, Tongbei Boxing, Seven-star Boxing, Dragon-out-of-the-sea Boxing and Shooting-star Boxing; for internal exercises there are Xingyi Boxing and Juji Boxing. Shaolin boxing can be practiced singly or in pairs. The dual routines include: Banshou Liuhe Boxing, Yaoshou Liuhe Boxing and Kick and Strike Liuhe Boxing.
Special Shaolin Training Methods
In 1934 Jin Jing Zhong published a book variously known in English as Shaolin 72 Shaolin Arts Practice Method or Training Methods of 72 Arts of Shaolin. This work lists what are alleged to be authentic Shaolin training methods that can produce extraordinary skills and abilities; examples of these skills include iron body techniques (both offensive and defensive), jumping and wall scaling techniques, pole-top leaping dexterity training, pressure-point and nerve manipulation, and a host of other feats. Most of these skills require anywhere from three to ten years to master, according to the author. Jin claims to have witnessed many of these skills himself or to have learned of them from a scroll given to him by Shaolin Abbot Miao Xing, though the work tends to exaggerate and embellish.
Contemporary Training at the Shaolin Temple
While most warrior monks tend to be focused on performance geared toward the touring troupes, a smaller cadre of Shaolin warrior monks seek the traditional route that focuses somewhat more on self-defense and authenticity of techniques. In many ways, the contemporary performing warrior monks are comparable to contemporary wushu artists who focus on beautiful, elaborately dazzling form rather than original martial application and fighting prowess. The 72 Shaolin Arts are more indicative of the older, original Shaolin temple fighting system and theory. Also, performing monks are not pressured to practice or study Zen, while inside the temple, at least a show of deference for the Shaolin customs is expected by the masters of their chosen warrior monk disciples.