Shaolin Kung Fu

[47MartialMan]

Yes,

 

Shaolin Gong Fu (Kung Fu) is not an authenticated martial art system. What people are misled by is that Shaolin was built to study the Chen study of Buddhism. It had no violent action or physical combat. Buddhist monks are peaceful. Bodidarma only taught them 3 Natas (translated by the Japanese as Katas) to help their health for long hours of meditation.

 

Shaolin was a sanctuary for rebellious fighting barons. Since these people were in there, they had to dress in cognito as monks. From this, some disciple monks would train.

 

The older monks (abbots) were not fighters.

 

Now, Shaolin is propergandersized, commercialized, and abused like anything else that may have accredited or monetary value. Monks there are now recruited from local villagers/villages and imported Chinese Wu Shu practitioners to “put on a Tourist Show”

 

Shaolin Gong Fu is like a Samurai Sword made in the 20-21st Century using modern and vast production methods, i.e. “Stainless Steel.” Or “Bowie Knives” made from 440 Rockwell Steel with a vinyl sheath. Or the leather World War Two Bombardier Jacket recently manufactured and sold. These items exist to sight and touch, but not as they were at first made and intended. Would you rather own authentic one or a remake?

 

Kung fu is a bad misnomer. It was first mention by a French Ambassador during China's Boxer Rebellion. He had asked what it was the boxers were doing and out of humor one had replied “Gong Fu”. So the Ambassador thought it was a fighting system and noted it his written journals.

 

Most Mainland Chinese Chuan Fa Masters up in age and skill dismiss the term, along with the “Shaolin Bandwagon” altogether. Chuan Fa is the correct Chinese term for old Chinese Martial Arts. In fact family Chinese arts are known by the family name followed by the word Chuan (Kuyhn or Kuen). Example: Lee Gar Chuan-Lee Family Fist.

 

I have researched texts and meeting with many Buddhist Practitioners, Buddhist Monks, and older Chinese Masters, all who have “opened my eyes”; with a “sting” I may add.

 

So, where has per the Samurai Swords, Bowie Knives, and WWII Bombardier Jackets are remanufactured, so too Shaolin Kung Fu (misnomer). It existence through authenticity has been lost.

 

As a martial artist for 37 our of 47 years of my life, I transition from physical learning to mental, researching, and open-mindedness.

 

So where you may disagree, it is your right to your opinion. If you were to research, or want to further research, I have many old texts and references that I can direct you to.

 

May you have a pleasant day/weekend/week.

 

Rick/Louisiana USA

[Drunken Monkey]

erm, no....

 

there IS shaolin kung fu.

 

(the actual term means kung fu from shaolin)

 

the forms and excercises were/are well documented.

 

MY only concern is whether or not they are teaching it properly at the new temple school.

 

(i mean beyond being able to 'do' it)

 

from what i have seen of the place,

 

they seem to be teaching basic shaolin 'sup sik' and other base forms

 

BUT

 

i seem to see more performance stuff being done....

[47MartialMan]

DM

 

Allow me to clarify:

 

I am speaking in terms of existence from authenticity.

 

Methods Documented?

 

Where? How old are the documents?

 

In other words, anyone can study a old document/text and repeat the method.

 

But that brings us to the modern-day practitoner that study from books and videos vs a live instructor.

[Drunken Monkey]

well, as far as i'm aware, lok ah choi was a shaolin disciple (the only one i can think that can almost be historically proved)

 

he was the one who taught wong kei ying.

 

wong kei ying taught his son wong fei hung.

 

wong fei hung taught lam sai wing (and a few others...) who had three books made recording his sifu's kung fu

 

(well, three major forms.)

 

this lineage still exisits.

 

basically, hung gar is a shoalin derivitive and a lot of the things you learn in hung gar are shaolin forms.

 

i.e five animals, ten forms etc etc.

 

there are other forms that have been passed down in other family styles that have origins in shoalin.

 

i.e cotton palm, blood sand palm, iron shirt, tan tui and many more.

 

this is why i have always said that the best place to learn shaolin kung fu is not at the temple.

 

it's complicated because of how things are based:

 

history and families.

 

hung gar is technically a shaolin kung fu.

 

but

 

hung kuen specifically refers to the things that only appear in hung gar

 

i.e gung gee fook fu, teet sien and fu hok seung ying.

 

(romanisation my own....)

[47MartialMan]

well, as far as i'm aware, lok ah choi was a shaolin disciple (the only one i can think that can almost be historically proved)

 

he was the one who taught wong kei ying.

 

wong kei ying taught his son wong fei hung.

 

wong fei hung taught lam sai wing (and a few others...) who had three books made recording his sifu's kung fu

 

(well, three major forms.)

 

this lineage still exisitsi.)

 

Where did you get this info?

[Drunken Monkey]

....it is common knowledge.

 

the line only goes back a 100/150 years.

 

it's not hard to find.

 

just look up hung gar history.

[47MartialMan]

Ah, so your info is persuaded by hung gar and it only dates back a 100-150 years.

[Drunken Monkey]

no.

 

it actually goes back further than 150 years but i'm just too lazy to look for exact dates.

 

anyway.

 

that is just the most recent accurately recorded and traceable line from shaolin.

 

also, this line also goes directely to the anti-ching movement as well as real links to the burning of the temples.

 

i.e the end of 'real shaolin' being taught at the temples

 

(which is why i mentioned it)

 

there are others.

 

namely long fist, that was taught/praticed by many people, not just monks and not just inside the temples.

 

quite a few emporers were known to be well versed in shaolin kung fu (namely long fist) and have records of the forms

 

(some of the most prized books in the libraries were martial arts books).

 

many of the chinese armies were taught shaoilin kung fu (again, direct links to the temples before burning).

[47MartialMan]

Please, what text/authors, historical records, can you point me to? I am not trying to dispute or debate with you. I am trying to get more accurate data to support this when and if the time comes that I tell someone else.

[SevenStar]

Talk to gene ching, editor of kung fu/qigong magazine. He can fill in on any questions you may have and correct you on the thought that shaolin kung fu was "nonexistant" He posts regularly on the kung fu magazine message forum.

 

here's a link to the shaolin forum there:

 

http://martial.best.vwh.net/forum/forumdisplay.php?s=5f2387ee5e1c6d8c702d6d21f8080adf&daysprune=30&forumid=6