Jue Yuan and Damo

[RITTERKING1]

Its believed that Damo created shaolin kung fu.many researchers disagree. Like the famous researcher Tang Hao. I read the book of Sal Canzonieri (The Hidden History of the Chinese Internal Martial Arts) and i noticed that the name of Yue Juen (the creator of the shaolin 5 animal style together with Bai Yu Feng and Li Sou) the name given by the Tang dynasty to Damo (Yuen Jue) is but reversed.

If we refer with Damo to Jue Yuen, then the story is true. Jue Yuen collected old forms and lost shaolin knowledge and created the shaolin kung fu curriculum with base the 18 luohan techniques. the mythological Damo also created shaolin kung fu from the 18 luohans.

I noticed also in Sals book that Bai Yu Feng was called Jin na luo. He is the protector deity of shaolin martial arts, and that Li Sou the Dahong style introduced to the temple. The Dahong style included Hong quan, Pao quan and Taizu chang quan. Maybe he introduced the Hong quan style into the temple.

According to Meyr Shahars book Shaolin monastery, the henan shaolin temple was not destroyed during the Qing dynasty, but during the end of the Yuan dynasty by bandits. The Yuan mongols also prohibited the training of martial arts and so it is logical that Jue Yuan lived during the Ming dynasty and his work was to save the lost shaolin knowledge from the shaolin ruins.

All three of them with Jue Yuans 18 basic luohan techniques, created many luohan quan forms and many other styles.they can be called as the shaolin kung fu creators.

[RITTERKING1]

If we think with the same logic that Damo could be Yue Juen, then we can think the same about Qi Jiguang beeing shaolins Taizu.

Its said that abbot Fu Yu invited 16 or 18 masters to shaolin and added their arts into the shaolin curriculum. Qi Jiguang collected 2 stances from 16 styles and created his 32 posture tai zu form. a taizu (great ancestor) creating a taizu form.

Yu Dayou visited the temple and he didnt found good fighters as he said. he took two monks with him and teached them martial arts.the monks brought this arts then back and teached the other monks.Like the Song dynasty Taizu that send some of his generals to shaolin to teach the monks.

[David Jamieson]

The Shaolin Monastery was burned down 3 times in total and deserted in the era just prior to the rise of communism in China.

Bodhidharma is attributed with Wu Qin Xi (5 animal frolics) but was historically an itinerant monk bringing Buddhism to China in the 5th century CE.
It's possible he never existed as in that time, proliferators of ideas and such often gave attribution to a teacher despite their own creation of the thing they are transmitting.

The more important thing that Bodhidharma brought to Shaolin was ch'an (zen) which was born out of the then new Mahayana Buddhism and in particular the Lankavatara sutra.

[RITTERKING1]

In Sals book i read that Bai Yu Feng was called Jin na luo.Is that true?Can you tell me the source describing this Sal?Jin na luo is a mystery. he is the martial arts saint of the shaolin temple. Could Bai Yu Feng be this saint?that teached the monks their martial arts?

Which were Jue Yuans basic 18 luohan? are there any clues?if not can we guess?
Jue Yuan was a former soldier.also his style should be a hard one.his techniques must be the most common techniques used in many styles. I believe that they should look like Cai families Hua quans 18 luohan shi ba shou form. This was the basis form of the 18 luohan forms. We can find this techniques in the 18 luohan forms.

And whats about the 18 luohan form as a qigong set.maybe Jue Yuan had a hard 18 luohan form and Bai Yu Feng created an other softer qigong 18 luohan form.

[GeneChing]

Can you tell me the source describing this Sal?

Sal hasn't logged on here in two years. Perhaps he's lurking...

IJin na luo is a mystery. he is the martial arts saint of the shaolin temple.

Many connect Jinnaluo to Vajrapani. You've read this, right? Meat, Wine, and Fighting Monks: Did Shaolin Monks breach Buddhist Dietary Regulations? by Meir Shahar.

[RITTERKING1]

Sal hasn't logged on here in two years. Perhaps he's lurking...


Many connect Jinnaluo to Vajrapani. You've read this, right? Meat, Wine, and Fighting Monks: Did Shaolin Monks breach Buddhist Dietary Regulations? by Meir Shahar.

No. I just read it.Thank you Gene!

[GeneChing]

No. I just read it.Thank you Gene!

Sure. Glad you found it worthy of the read.

Have you read Professor Shahar's book The Shaolin Monastery: History, Religion, and the Chinese Martial Arts? That article was an excerpt, an early draft that he permitted us to publish prior to the publication of his book. If you're looking into Shaolin history, Meir's book is a must read.

[David Jamieson]

^ I concur.

Starting with Shahars book led me down another path to find the myth of hercules may have had some meat on it's bones.
Fascinating stuff, Vajrapani = Hercules, protector of the Buddha!


2nd century CE depiction currently in the BM.