Shaolin Kung Fu
Martial Arts According to Tamo
All of nature is dualistic. Man and woman. Night and day. Life and death. Good and evil. These dualities are represented in Taoist philosophy by yin and yang, and the two exist together harmoniously. Over time this philosophy has become integral to Chan (Zen) Buddhism of the Shaolin Temple.
The Shaolin Temple of the Henan Province, in northern China, has a reputation in popular culture for being the wellspring and hub of Chinese martial arts, a.k.a. kung fu, or - more accurately - wushu. The term kung fu is actually a broader term meaning "skill", not necessarily limited to martial arts.
The Shaolin order (Shaolin means "young forest") was founded by a 6th-century Indian Buddhist called Bodhidharma, known to the Chinese as Tamo, who made a great journey to the Henan Province. Upon arrival, he was discouraged to find Chinese monks lacking in physical fitness, though they were strong in mind. Clearly, this demonstrated an unnatural lack of balance. The yin was strong but the yang was weak.
Tamo began a new regimen of physical exercise for the Chinese monks. They were yoga-based forms that mimicked the defensive and offensive behaviors of iconographic animals. Thus Shaolin wushu was born.
Shaolin martial arts and the philosophy and religion of Tao and Chan Buddism are inseparable. The yin and yang, the two halves of the whole self, must be balanced in order that we be in accordance with Nature. To be able to do anything, we must have Chi.
Chi is an important concept in Taoism and other Chinese philosophies. It is dualistic life force, comprised of both negative and positive energies, both of which animate living beings. When Tamo brought wushu exercises to the Chinese monks, it was for the purpose of strengthening their balance of Chi.
There are two aspects to Shaolin wushu - the internal and external. The internal or "soft" aspect deals with the mental and spiritual, including proper breathing and muscle relaxation. Tai Chi is the most popular exercise to enhance the internal aspect. The external aspect, on the other hand, deals with physical exertion, tension, strength, brute force. To be a true practitioner of Shaolin wushu, one must be able to maintain a balance between the two aspects and not fall into the trap of focusing more on the external.
Proper training is vital. Before students of the Shaolin Temple could engage in combat, they were expected to practice basics. These were essentially stretching exercises to make the body limber, allowing the monk to perform feats previously impossible. Through meditation, monks balanced their Chi with proper breathing and relaxation. After stretching, Tamo would have taught the monks basic punches, kicks, leaps, and other acrobatics. Again, many of these movements could only be achieved with routine stretching.
After the basics, Tamo would have introduced taolu, or "forms", to his pupils. These forms were a series of choreographed movements, including combat moves, meant to give the student a means to commit moves to memory and practice them in an organized sequence. These taolu were often taken at a much slower and relaxed pace, allowing the monk to focus on both mind and body, maintaining the balance of Chi. Proper breathing and focus on every tiny movement made the monk more physically balanced, self-aware, and kinesthetic. Many taolu were solo exercises, but some were also sparring exercises, in which two or more individuals participated. In a way, a taolu is what actors learn for any scene in which there is physical combat. Perhaps they do not spend as much time on the yoga aspects or meditation, but they certainly learn how to breathe properly and memorize their moves.
There are a variety of Shaolin wushu styles, too many to list here. But the varieties can be divided into two categories (more duality!): Nothern and Southern. In the North, where Shaolin wushu originated, the martial arts focused on long-range combat, use of the legs, and performing a variety of kicks and acrobatics. In the South, combat was more intimate, with a focus on the upper body - rapid punches and blocks.
Shaolin wushu styles can also be categorized by the Five Animals - based on the iconographic forms Tamo taught his monks. These five styles mimic defensive and offensive behaviors of five different animals, and they are as follows:
The Tiger.
The Element of Metal and Air. Comprised entirely of offensive moves, the Tiger style is all yang. There are no strategic blocks and dodges. In the Tiger style there are only reactive, straight-line attacks, like clubbing and claw-strikes.
The Crane.
The Element of Wood. Where the Tiger style is pure yang, the Crane style is pure yin. There are two stories as to its origin. One tells of a young girl who tries to scare away a crane with a stick. Another tells of an old man who watches a crane's response to a gorilla. In both tales, the crane demonstrates side-stepping and counter-attacking. Practitioners of the Crane style are masters of evasion and blocking.
The Leopard.
The Element of Water. Power and speed are key to the Leopard style. The Leopard combatants imitate the animal's paw with the human hand, utilizing the knuckle ridge and palm. Grabbing and tearing are used to mimic leopard-clawing behavior. A unique feature of this style (and the animal) is the simultaneous block and strike - using defense and attack at the same time. This style is very fast and powerful.
The Snake.
The Element of Earth. Flexibility, precision and aim are key to performing feats of the Snake. Attacks are direct, accurate, and quick - strike and back off. Practitioners master the ability to hit their marks, which are carefully identified points of weakness. These attacks can take the form of a kick, punch or jab. Another stunt is the feint, a feigned attack to distract the opponent. To put significant strength behind their actions, the Snake fighters use their spine to send power through their muscles and into the attack.
The Dragon.
The Element of Fire. Like the Snake, the Dragon style relies on powerful attacks through the use of other muscles, particularly those in the waist. Movement originating in the waist sends great power through the body and finally to the fist. Again, incredible flexibility is a must. Dragon stylists have crippling and even killing techniques in their repertoire. Like the Tiger, the Dragon fighter focuses on high-power yang attacks. These include the three-fingered claw, hitting sensitive areas and pressure points, open- and closed-hand punches, below-waist kicks, and powerful grappling maneuvers.
SOURCES:
http://www.answers.com
http://www.shaolin.com
http://www.laugar-kungfu.com
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Posted May 17, 2006 - 04:11 , Last Edited: Jun 3, 2006 - 03:42
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