What was known about Shaolin Kung Fu prior to the 20th century?

[RenDaHai]

After 1904 Kung Fu was no longer being practised at the temple; the modern day Wu Shu Monks are not descended from the original monks nor do they learn the same Shaolin Kung Fu that was being taught at Shaolin prior to 1904. What was the original Shaolin Kung Fu? ?

Not sure where you get this from. It was indeed practiced after 1904. There has never been a gap of someone practicing.

Never the less if we look at the Forms for example. The forms now are the same largely as the ones practiced by my master in the 1930's with some simplifications. He learned from LiGenSeng who in turn learned in Shaolin post 1904. This is all very well known if you go to the area.

But second to that in every village they practice Kung fu and have done for centuries. There are many villages. They have 1500 forms in Song shan. Yet they all practice largely the same technique. The form XiaoHongQuan appears in almost every sect.

I leanred one from Luotuoyuan village and it is similar to the current one, a bit longer with more techs. I learned from the nan yaun pai in another village separated from shaolin by 360 years. Yet their form although different was the same sequence overall and contained many of the same techniques. I learned in Mogou village (seperated by 500 years). Different form but the same technques throughout.

The main techs are; XieXing, PanZhou, ChongTianPao, Huitouwanyue, Wozhen, Gunquan, Yunding, QiXing, SHizidazhangzui, SHushen, KuaHu, DaHushi, Kuaichui, DanBian..... etc etc.

True these appear in every style of longfist. But in song shan they have a unique look and they follow certain principles not held by all the others. the same names are used throughout the villages even though their kung fu is seperated by hundreds of years. And they all attribute it to Shaolin usually to JinNaLuoWang.