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Martial Arts: Shaolin Kung-Fu

The Shaolin Monastery is an important center in the development of Chinese martial arts. The monastery is situated in Henan Province, thirteen kilometers northwest of Dengfen County town at the western foot of Mt. Songshan. The name Shaolin comes from the fact that the monastery is nestled in the woods below the shady northern slope of Shaoshi Peak. Shaolin Monastery was built in 495 under the patronage of Emperor Xiaowen (reigned 471-500) of the Northern Wei Dynasty. Historical material suggests that almost immediately after its founding, self-defence or some other form of physical training was part of life in the monastery. By the end of the Sui Dynasty (581-618), the outstanding combat skills of the Shaolin monks became well known. According to records, the wushu practised at the monastery in different periods was varied in style and content. Among the unarmed combat styles were those resembling the fast and agile Chang Quan. Others were powerful, like Nan Quan, or emphasized the use of will and mind as well as breathing like Xingyi Quan (Will-Mind Boxing) and Rou Quan (Soft Boxing); still others imitated animal movements like Luohan Quan (Arhat Boxing) and Hou Quan (Monkey Boxing). Shaolin staff skills were especially famous, although all the eighteen military weapons were practised.

Shaolin Kung Fu is extensive. It consists of 36 external exercises and 36 internal exercises. They are called in combination the 72 hand-combat arts of Shaolin. Each kind of exercise has a very close relation with Qigong. Many other forms of exercise evolved, such as the Standing Pole Exercise, Hard Skills, Light Skills.

Shaolin Kung-fu

Shaolin Kung-Fu
Text in Chinese-English
Published by Henan Art Publishing House
Hardcover with cloth, octavo, 164 pages
ISBN 7540102462

With profuse illustrations and concise texts Shaolin Kung Fu introduces well over one hundred routines of Shaolin martial arts (Kung-fu), including boxing, broadsword, spear, sword, Qigong breathing exercise, Neigong internal exercise and Tongzigong children's exercise, with special emphasis on pictures showing, section by section, how to practice the representative Shaolin broadsword, spear, cudgel and boxing routines. With photo-taking assisted by Shaolin Monastery's Kung-fu monks and a preface written by the monastery's abbot Shi Deqan, the album is an excellent guide to mastery of the essential points of Shaolin Kung-fu:
    Illustrations of Shaolin Single Broadsword Routine
    Illustrations of Shaolin Plum-blossom Spear Routine
    Illustrations of Shaolin Fenghuo Wind and Fire Cudgel Routine
    Illustrations of Shaolin Dahong Boxing Routine
    Illustrations of Shaolin Xiaohong Boxing Routine
    Illustrative Eighteen Forms of Shaolin Arhat
    The Twelve Methods of Being Healthy and Strong

Contents

Preface by Shi Deqan, the Abbe of Shaolin Monastery

The Eighteen Types of Shaolin Weapons

Shaolin Sword

Shaolin Spear

The Shaolin Cudgel

Shaolin Hook

The Shaolin 9-section Whip

The Shaolin Shovel

Shaolin Flying Dart

Shaolin Single Broadsword

Shaolin Plum-blossom Spear

Shaolin Fenghou wind and fire Cudgel

Shaolin Kung-fu

Twelve Styles of Yijinjing

Shaolin Boxing

The Hand Exercise

The Imitative Shaolin Boxing

Dahong Boxing

Xiaohong Boxing

Eighteen Forms of Shaolin Arhat

The Capturing Skills of Shaolin Kung-fu

The Hawk's Claw Exercise

The Palm Exercise

The Sword for Killing Devil (the palm exercise)

Qianjing Jiao (the foot exercise)

Tietougong (the exercise of head training)

The Lieing Tiger Exercise

Paidagong (the exercise of beating every part of the body with a wood brick)

Shaolin Tongzigong (the Children's exercise)

Budaigong (the exercise of the abdomen)

Yudaigong (the exercise of arms)

Yizhijin ( the exercise of head standing on one finger)

Qian Jin Zhui (the exercise of lifting a big stone attached to the testes with a rope)

Badinggong (the exercise of pulling out the nails from a nailed wood plate)

Diaogong (the exercise of hanging from a tree with a rope round the neck)

The Shaolin Fire Exercise (the exercise of licking a burning hot iron shovel)

The Plum-blossom Stake Exercise

The Yin-Yang Qixigong (the exercise of attracting something on the belly by Qi)

The Light Exercise

The Twelve Methods of Being Healthy and Strong

Related Links

• Shaolin Dahong Boxing (Chinese-English, VCD)
• The Fanzi Boxing (Chinese-English, VCD)
• Shaolin Rouquan -Form 1 (Chinese-English, VCD)
• Shaolin Rouquan -Form 2 (Chinese-English, VCD)
• Shaolin Luohan 13 Form (Chinese-English, VCD)
• The Eight Trigrams Linked Palm (Chinese-English, VCD)
• The Shaolin Virgin Boy Exercise (Chinese-English, VCD)
• Shaolin Six Combinationgong Chan Yuangong (Chinese-English, VCD)
• The Shaolin Spring-Autumn Broadsword (Chinese-English, VCD)
• The Shaolin Pu Broadsword (Chinese-English, VCD)
• The Shaolin Lying Double Broadswords (Chinese-English, VCD)
• The Shaolin Meteor Hammer (Chinese-English, VCD)
• The Damo Cane(Chinese-English, VCD)
• The Double-Handed Sword (Chinese-English, VCD)