Shaolin Kung Fu

Shaolin kung fu is a generic term that refers to a number of different types of kung fu that all trace their origins back to the famed Shaolin temple. The style is generally considered to have external characteristics, which emphasize physical power, speed, agility, and athleticism.

Bodhidharma-the Indian Buddhist monk sometimes known as Da Mo-is thought to have been responsible lor the introduction of yogic exercises at the Shaolin temple. Although disputed, it is claimed that these exercises eventually became what is now known as kung fu. Experts can be certain, however, that a monk named Da Mo did reside at the temple and became the Temple Master between 512 and 527 CE, and that he introduced an exercise regime known as "18 lohan hands."

It was during the first millennium CE that the Shaolin monks began to earn themselves a fearsome reputation due to their prowess in fighting. Records show that in 621 CE, for example, they played a decisive role in the defeat of Wang Shi Chong at the battle of Hulao but, although records at the temple do show that the monks engaged in actual combat during that period, there is no recorded evidence to show that their daily training regime included martial-arts practice.

Bodhidharma arrived in China from India to spread Zen Buddhism throughout the country. After visiting Emperor Wu-ti, who had supported Buddhism and was anxious to discuss its guiding principles, Bodhidharma traveled to, and settled in, the Shaolin temple of Song Shan in Henan province. He felt that the monks there lacked sufficient stamina to meditate properly or defend themselves from the roving bandits in the area, so he taught them the "18 lohan hands", a system of dynamic tension exercises that was eventually published in 550 CE as the Yijinjing.

Two main variations of Shaolin kung fu exist, known as "northern-style boxing" and "southern-style boxing." The former uses a combination of hand and foot techniques, while the latter focuses on hand-based techniques. Both utilize strengths and weaknesses of bone, muscle, sinew, and the mind, to create the best-known of all the Chinese martial-arts systems.

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