I have been a researcher of Shaolin for a year or so now and one thing is for sure:
everyone has their own version of shaolin traditions.
If you were to buy books and books(as I have) and search many different websites(me as well) there will still be many variations on what is shaolin and what is not. Many lineages. True shaolin gong fu. Fake shaolin gong fu.
It tends to get exhausting.
Unfortunately, for all my research there have been questions that are unanswered.(even though the answers may be real/fake/traditional/legend/etc...)
My current questions are the following:
1) Dragon and Tiger brands on the forearms. Real? Fake? Currently not practiced?
2)The dots you would normally see on the foreheads of fictional shaolin monks: where do they come from and for what reason are they put there to begin with?
3)What styles were actually studied at the temples? Five animals? Bak Mei? Dog Fist? Bagua?
4)Legend of Bak Mei as a traitor: True?
5)How many different temples have there been? Names? Locations?
6)Any info on the Order of Shaolin in Oregon? (anyone trained there/spoke with "monks")
Any and all assistance will be appreciated. Thanks!
WF