Shaolin and its martial roots

[rik]

Historically, evidence points to a pragmatic reason for the development of wushu at the Shaolin - the defense of the monastery. Buddhist monasteries, and in particular the large public ones, like Shaolin, contained large granaries and other provisions. These supplies made them attractive targets for robber bands such as the Lülin (Green Forest Bandits) and renegade bands of rebels and invaders, which had plagued Henan for centuries. Althought it is apparent that it was a combination of factors that made the Shaolin Monastery a source of highly developed martial arts expertise, one important factor was the continuous interaction between the military and the monks going back to its earliest days. Those of you that share that perspective on Shaolin and view it as a true fight art, I highly recommend a upcoming book titled ON COMBAT, written by Lt. Col. Dave Grossman. IMO this book is destined to become a classic on the subject of psychology and physiology of close contact combat. This is not a book about competition fighting or sports but a unvarnished look at combat.

[mickey]

Hi rik,

Don't leave us hanging like this; from where can we get the book and when will it be available? I have already been waiting fpr Wang Xinde's third installment to his leg attack methods for over 14 years! I hope it is not that long.

mickey

[rik]

The book is still in manuscript form, but Dave is talking with a major publisher, who promises to get it out in short order, possibly in as little as two months. I'll post the info when the book becomes available. It is an incredible book that looks at who warriors are, their mission in human society and the "toxic, corrosive and destructive environment" warriors did and still have to operate in. I believe those of you that read it, will walk away with a new and clearer idea why martial arts developed at Shaolin the way it did.

r.

[stimulant]

I dont believe this.................

people took scantiry in temples from the authorities. Once one became a monk they were resolved of past crimes as they were 'new people'.

criminals brought martial arts to shaolin. shaolin just improved on them and developed their own from there.

thats the martial roots of shaolin - criminals!

:D

here is a more detailed account of martial arts history in china in general.

http://www.zhenwei.org/History/HistoryMartialArts.htm

[rik]

Not all Buddhist monasteries had the same practices or status. Buddhism in great centers like Luoyang, or close to Imperial capitals, tended to be more orthodox and stable. A further important distinguishing feature of monasteries like Shaolin was that they were designated official places of worship. These monasteries received their name via Imperial decree, as well as land, money, servants, subject families known as samgha household (seng ch’i hu), rights to maintain certain industries that generated profits and other benefits. The number of official monasteries known as Shih ts’ung-lin tended to be small and stable throughout dynastic history. Even during the massive Buddhist expansion during the Northern Wei (386-534), there were only forty-seven great state monasteries among the thousands of others. The monks who resided in these official establishments were selected and ordained by Imperial decree and required higher qualifications. Their supervisory clergy was appointed by the Imperial throne and accountable to it. As one would expect, discipline in the official monasteries tended to be stricter and the more monks living in a monastery, the stricter the rules.These characteristics remained true to the close of the Ching Dynasty.
Shaolin was prominent Imperial supported temple and through out its history it regularly performed a number of important functions for society and the Imperial government. These include ceremonies sponsored by the government, the hosting of various dignitaries, maintaining a library, training of future generations, acting as a cultural and economic center and supporting various emperors. Its role in China’s politics is as impressive as its cultural contributions.
There was continuous interaction between the military and the monks. Both military officers and senior clergy in Imperial monasteries came from the same well-educated class and both were often posted to the same remote northern regions. In Shaolin's case the interaction between monks and military officers are recorded in numerous historical documents.

r.
ps.

One other point in this regard, from the AD 400s onward, northern Chinese Buddhism cultivated close relations with Imperial governments and, in particular with the so-called foreign dynasties.