The Origin Of The Earliest Extant Manual On Shaolin Kung Fu

[Rex Cox]

Chinese martial arts were first mentioned in literature dating back to
the Chou Dynasty from 1122-255BC and but the Shaolin Kung Fu history
begins with the building of the Shaolin Monastery in 495AD. This
monastery which was built on the Sung Mountain in the Honen Province
housed up to 2000 monks at one time and is noted as China's most
famous monastery. Due to the fact that Shaolin Kung Fu was taught and
passed down orally much of the story of its beginnings are a mixture
of historical fact intermingled with legend.
Considered to be the father of Shaolin Kung Fu and to Buddhists the
founder of Zen, a lively monk named Tamo left his home in India in the
6th century AD and trekked eastward then north until he reached the
Shaolin Monastery where he stopped and taught Zen meditation. Tamo
realized that most of the monks were unable to handle the rigorous
regime of the Zen mediation discipline so he created a series of
exercises to build up their health and increase their stamina. Being
very much like yoga in that these exercises were both psychological
and physical, they are believed to have formed the beginnings of
Shaolin Kung Fu.
It was during holy pilgrimages that martial arts really developed
basically out of necessity as the monks were often robbed of their
religious treasures by the many "pirates" or "bandits" of the time.
Using the exercises and postures taught to them by Tamo and refining
them into fighting movements, combined with the influence of Zen, a
deadly form of martial art was born and they were well equipped to
protect themselves and their treasures. Over the centuries this form
of self-defense and spiritual lifestyle became legendary.
In 1736, the monastery was attacked by Manchu's battled troops and the
monks were all but annihilated by the huge number of troops and the
monastery was burnt to the ground. Thankfully, there were survivors
who fled and this ensured that Shaolin Kung Fu history would be taught
and indeed flourish. The monastery has been rebuilt several times and
is always remembered as the birth place of Shaolin Kung Fu.
Although remnant writings have been found, one of the earliest extant
references to Shaolin Kung Fu History was published in 1784 in the
Boxing Classic: Essential Boxing Methods. The reference gives the
first written documentation of the Monastery of Shaolin and the monks
being the originators of Shaolin Kung Fu.
Today, Kung Fu has a worldwide appeal and there are many forms
practiced, one such style being Hung, which is named after Hung Hei
Guen who was one of the Ten Tigers of Shaolin. He was taught by Gee
Sin who was the abbot of Shaolin who escaped the fire and went on to
teach and pass on the Shaolin Kung Fu History and methods throughout
China, as it has been passed down to the famous art we still use today
all around the world.
Yoshi E Kundagawa is a freelance journalist. He covers the mixed
martial arts industry. For a free report on shaolin kung fu history
visit his blog.