mantis108
12-06-2003, 01:48 PM
I shared some of my thoughts on my forum about the dawning of Kung Fu, which in my mind is specifically referred to martial arts that are affiliated with Shaolin Temple. Martial arts in China that are not affiliated with Shaolin would be Wushu in my terminology.
Since on the other thread we put the poweress of the Shaolin monks in question, I think it is a good time that we take a good look at what kind of a role Shaolin has to play in the TCMA world.
In the future, I will attempt to explore the relationship between Shaolin and Northern Praying Mantis based on the following.
I put my original text in bold and make further comments underneath:
This week on history channel, there is a series called "Deadly Arts". Shandy, my student, taped 2 episodes for me. One of them is Kalaripayattu, which I paid special attention in an attempt to make some sense out of it. I am happy to say that the result is a radical theory on the origin of Shaolin Kung Fu. I must fore warn that this is only a early stage of this theory so don't take it seriously as much research still have to be made.
First off, this theory is to develop and hopefully determine the role of Bodhidharma in the development of Shaolin Kung Fu.
1) It is believe that Bodhidharma as a Brahmin warrior class person skilled in a version of Kalaripayattu.
2) He eventually reached the Shaolin temple around 527 CE and would have resided outside of the temple. One account said he faced the "cave wall" for 9 years. Another spoke of him having a "hut" or bungalow nearby the temple. Teaching the monks to be physcially fit and to meditate.
After seeing the tape, it occurs to me that it is entirely possible to fit both accounts into the following:
Bodhidharma could have built his own small Kalari (training hall) measuring 18 x 9 which would also be a dugged out mud pit with a cover (the hut) that was common to most Kalari even today. This would fit both facing the wall account and the hut. The 9 years are significant in the sense that it gives the size and time of the operation (quite short).
Kalaripayattu, both a figthing art and healing art often function as villages' defense headquarter, clinic and spiritual council. This is vital to the survival of rural life in the past. In a sense, it is like a miltant variaty of missionary. This we can see a parallel in southern China village's Kung Fu Kwoon which often flashing the Shaolin Banner.
Bodhidharma was perhaps the most "bloodiest" of all the Ch'an or Dhyana master in Chinese budhist history if the story about him was true. I believe it has to do with him being a Brahmin warrior background. So the stories basically reflected that to a varying degree.
The intuitiveness of live and death can only be thoroughtly understood by someone who has brushes with death. (ie a warrior). The stir but not shaken resolve against violence is unique to Ch'an Budhism and later on embraced by the Japaness samurai as Zen.
The importance of establishing this is that I believe Kalaripayattu was perhaps the mother style or genetic blueprint of Shaolin Weito Men (Gardian warrior division) otherwise known as Liuhe Men (6 harmonies division). There was an account of a kitchen help (an indian possibly not living within the walls of Shaolin) during the Yuan dynasty (1206-1368) saved the Shaolin temple from rebel army raid. This monk used a stick which is one of the basic training weapons of Kalaripayattu. So this would suggest that some form of Kalaripayattu could still be practiced arround the temple during Yuan dynasty.
There is also an account of martial arts was "revived" within the walls of Shaolin arround the same period of time. The notable thing is that the renowned five animals fists of Shaolin were likely born during this time. Kalaripayattu has 8 basic animal stances including horse, rooster (doesn't this remind you of mantis stances?), elephant (Shaolin ten animal includes this), etc... There are also basic stretching and basic kicks that bore similarity to Mantis' Ya Tui (leg pressing) and Lui Tui (running legs).
There is also the oil massages piror to practice similar in theory that is documented as part of the Shaolin Tongji Gong procedure. There is a book about basic training in Kung Fu that cover this subject by a Taiwan martial artist Wang Feng Ting.
The most important thing is that Shaolin Liuhe Men has weaponary practices in theory and in methodology almost identical to Kalaripayattu. ALL WEAPONS ARE BOTH SOLO AND 2 PERSONS AND ALL "DRILLS" ARE MIRROR DRILLS WITH EXACT IMAGE. This is echoed with the Liuhe Men sticks, saber, spear, etc... The clips in the show fully supported this. Each stage of practice reinforces the next which suggests a highly structured training system.
We know that Shaolin had its own army, which could have used the Liuhe Men/kalaripayattu type of trianing, during the Ming dynasty. This is why we see the popularity of Liuhe Men weapon training all over the place especially in the army. General Chi's work reflected that. However, due to the lose of capable people during the battles. We can only see Liuhe Men in parts but not as a whole. I also think that it is possible the General Yue Fei in Song dynasty might have come across the kalaripayattu influence. Styles such as Eagle Claw, Xingyi (has animal forms too), etc... were acredited to him. But that's another thing to look at.
This is where I think the accounts and legends of Shaolin lay desciples come into play. According to an account, there was a county in Fujian province called Yong Chun which I suspect was where the Shaolin troops, the so-called lay disciples, along with the monks (numbered up to a 100 some possibly 128) stationed. It would seem that San Jian, San Bu Jian, San Bu Tui, etc... could have been the basic hand form/exercise that the troops and monks practiced along side with the weapons. BTW, San Jian (three extensions or 3 arrows) would later becomes forms such as Tit Sin (iron wire) and Sanchin (3 battles). It is possible that temples in and around that region would accommodate some of these veterans later. It is also entirely possible that one of these temples in the Putin region in Fujian got renamed (not build) as Shaolin which was said to have included a Yong Chun Hall. It was eventually destory by Qing authorities. I believe that the style names Hung gar, Wing Chun, Yong Chun, Baihe, Tanglang (southern), etc were associated with this to a different degree. Hung gar was designates by a lay disciple after his family name. Yong Chun/Wing Chun most likely named after the troops' station. With cautious speculations, Baihe and Tanglang could very well be a designation for a specific company of soliders or a password (with the help of hand forms as well) to identify each other.
Here comes the part of Shaolin Luohan Men (Arhat division). It is a rather late comer as compare to Kalaripayattu (mother of Liuhe Men) to Shaolin. But it's influence is perhaps more profound. It is believe that Fuju monk (late Song dynasty) was the one responsible for it's creation. It would seem that he gathered 18 hand to hand combat styles, ALL OF CHINESE ORIGIN, to create an authentic Chinese martial art. Given the political climate at the time this would be a reasonable move to boost Chinese moral and patriotism. The project was rather short lived but managed to influence the development of Kung Fu in a meaningful way. It laid the foundation and provided documentations of Discipline Cross Training in Chinese martial arts history. Now Luohan is adsorb into other styles such as Hung Gar, Wutzu, Myjong Luohan, etc...
It is also here that we find a paradigm shift in the approach of martial arts training. The focus seems to be less of a military type of training but of personal growth.
The influence of Kalaripayattu is much more diluted. The original 5 stages of training (Maithari, Kolthari, etc) is now shorten to 3 which is as follow:
1. Body contral exercise as compare to Maithari
2. Unarmed Combat with lethal blows as compare to Verumkai/marma adi
3. Special internal training (this is somewhat compare to Hindu roots of acquiring Sakti through asceticism and austerity and such acts). In a way, it is gaining full control of the body-mind continuum.
It is important to note that Qi and li has a propotional correlationship at this time in history. Only in Late Qing and Republic era, we see that Qi and li became fully seperate entity; hence, draws the line between internal and external arts.
Traditional Mantis (northern), which is not to be confused with Wang Lang's Tanglang (could be much more ancient), is believed to be based on this structure as expounded in Fuju's manuscripts.
to be continued...
Since on the other thread we put the poweress of the Shaolin monks in question, I think it is a good time that we take a good look at what kind of a role Shaolin has to play in the TCMA world.
In the future, I will attempt to explore the relationship between Shaolin and Northern Praying Mantis based on the following.
I put my original text in bold and make further comments underneath:
This week on history channel, there is a series called "Deadly Arts". Shandy, my student, taped 2 episodes for me. One of them is Kalaripayattu, which I paid special attention in an attempt to make some sense out of it. I am happy to say that the result is a radical theory on the origin of Shaolin Kung Fu. I must fore warn that this is only a early stage of this theory so don't take it seriously as much research still have to be made.
First off, this theory is to develop and hopefully determine the role of Bodhidharma in the development of Shaolin Kung Fu.
1) It is believe that Bodhidharma as a Brahmin warrior class person skilled in a version of Kalaripayattu.
2) He eventually reached the Shaolin temple around 527 CE and would have resided outside of the temple. One account said he faced the "cave wall" for 9 years. Another spoke of him having a "hut" or bungalow nearby the temple. Teaching the monks to be physcially fit and to meditate.
After seeing the tape, it occurs to me that it is entirely possible to fit both accounts into the following:
Bodhidharma could have built his own small Kalari (training hall) measuring 18 x 9 which would also be a dugged out mud pit with a cover (the hut) that was common to most Kalari even today. This would fit both facing the wall account and the hut. The 9 years are significant in the sense that it gives the size and time of the operation (quite short).
Kalaripayattu, both a figthing art and healing art often function as villages' defense headquarter, clinic and spiritual council. This is vital to the survival of rural life in the past. In a sense, it is like a miltant variaty of missionary. This we can see a parallel in southern China village's Kung Fu Kwoon which often flashing the Shaolin Banner.
Bodhidharma was perhaps the most "bloodiest" of all the Ch'an or Dhyana master in Chinese budhist history if the story about him was true. I believe it has to do with him being a Brahmin warrior background. So the stories basically reflected that to a varying degree.
The intuitiveness of live and death can only be thoroughtly understood by someone who has brushes with death. (ie a warrior). The stir but not shaken resolve against violence is unique to Ch'an Budhism and later on embraced by the Japaness samurai as Zen.
The importance of establishing this is that I believe Kalaripayattu was perhaps the mother style or genetic blueprint of Shaolin Weito Men (Gardian warrior division) otherwise known as Liuhe Men (6 harmonies division). There was an account of a kitchen help (an indian possibly not living within the walls of Shaolin) during the Yuan dynasty (1206-1368) saved the Shaolin temple from rebel army raid. This monk used a stick which is one of the basic training weapons of Kalaripayattu. So this would suggest that some form of Kalaripayattu could still be practiced arround the temple during Yuan dynasty.
There is also an account of martial arts was "revived" within the walls of Shaolin arround the same period of time. The notable thing is that the renowned five animals fists of Shaolin were likely born during this time. Kalaripayattu has 8 basic animal stances including horse, rooster (doesn't this remind you of mantis stances?), elephant (Shaolin ten animal includes this), etc... There are also basic stretching and basic kicks that bore similarity to Mantis' Ya Tui (leg pressing) and Lui Tui (running legs).
There is also the oil massages piror to practice similar in theory that is documented as part of the Shaolin Tongji Gong procedure. There is a book about basic training in Kung Fu that cover this subject by a Taiwan martial artist Wang Feng Ting.
The most important thing is that Shaolin Liuhe Men has weaponary practices in theory and in methodology almost identical to Kalaripayattu. ALL WEAPONS ARE BOTH SOLO AND 2 PERSONS AND ALL "DRILLS" ARE MIRROR DRILLS WITH EXACT IMAGE. This is echoed with the Liuhe Men sticks, saber, spear, etc... The clips in the show fully supported this. Each stage of practice reinforces the next which suggests a highly structured training system.
We know that Shaolin had its own army, which could have used the Liuhe Men/kalaripayattu type of trianing, during the Ming dynasty. This is why we see the popularity of Liuhe Men weapon training all over the place especially in the army. General Chi's work reflected that. However, due to the lose of capable people during the battles. We can only see Liuhe Men in parts but not as a whole. I also think that it is possible the General Yue Fei in Song dynasty might have come across the kalaripayattu influence. Styles such as Eagle Claw, Xingyi (has animal forms too), etc... were acredited to him. But that's another thing to look at.
This is where I think the accounts and legends of Shaolin lay desciples come into play. According to an account, there was a county in Fujian province called Yong Chun which I suspect was where the Shaolin troops, the so-called lay disciples, along with the monks (numbered up to a 100 some possibly 128) stationed. It would seem that San Jian, San Bu Jian, San Bu Tui, etc... could have been the basic hand form/exercise that the troops and monks practiced along side with the weapons. BTW, San Jian (three extensions or 3 arrows) would later becomes forms such as Tit Sin (iron wire) and Sanchin (3 battles). It is possible that temples in and around that region would accommodate some of these veterans later. It is also entirely possible that one of these temples in the Putin region in Fujian got renamed (not build) as Shaolin which was said to have included a Yong Chun Hall. It was eventually destory by Qing authorities. I believe that the style names Hung gar, Wing Chun, Yong Chun, Baihe, Tanglang (southern), etc were associated with this to a different degree. Hung gar was designates by a lay disciple after his family name. Yong Chun/Wing Chun most likely named after the troops' station. With cautious speculations, Baihe and Tanglang could very well be a designation for a specific company of soliders or a password (with the help of hand forms as well) to identify each other.
Here comes the part of Shaolin Luohan Men (Arhat division). It is a rather late comer as compare to Kalaripayattu (mother of Liuhe Men) to Shaolin. But it's influence is perhaps more profound. It is believe that Fuju monk (late Song dynasty) was the one responsible for it's creation. It would seem that he gathered 18 hand to hand combat styles, ALL OF CHINESE ORIGIN, to create an authentic Chinese martial art. Given the political climate at the time this would be a reasonable move to boost Chinese moral and patriotism. The project was rather short lived but managed to influence the development of Kung Fu in a meaningful way. It laid the foundation and provided documentations of Discipline Cross Training in Chinese martial arts history. Now Luohan is adsorb into other styles such as Hung Gar, Wutzu, Myjong Luohan, etc...
It is also here that we find a paradigm shift in the approach of martial arts training. The focus seems to be less of a military type of training but of personal growth.
The influence of Kalaripayattu is much more diluted. The original 5 stages of training (Maithari, Kolthari, etc) is now shorten to 3 which is as follow:
1. Body contral exercise as compare to Maithari
2. Unarmed Combat with lethal blows as compare to Verumkai/marma adi
3. Special internal training (this is somewhat compare to Hindu roots of acquiring Sakti through asceticism and austerity and such acts). In a way, it is gaining full control of the body-mind continuum.
It is important to note that Qi and li has a propotional correlationship at this time in history. Only in Late Qing and Republic era, we see that Qi and li became fully seperate entity; hence, draws the line between internal and external arts.
Traditional Mantis (northern), which is not to be confused with Wang Lang's Tanglang (could be much more ancient), is believed to be based on this structure as expounded in Fuju's manuscripts.
to be continued...