What is the core of Shaolin?

[Kellen Bassette]

But if you really want to isolate the Martial Art, the myriad forms are less useful to you.

That's what I'm trying to do...I know Gong Fu is a sweeping term and a real big box, I knew Chan was going to come up in this discussion, but to reiterate, I'm not talking about the whole package that is Shaolin, or the whole culture.

For this discussion I'm referring to just the martially applicable "combat" part. I think you should be able to describe the core or "essence" of your fighting art in a simple sentence/statement. It's over simplifying, but that's the point. I also expect different people to have a different experience and express it differently, even contrary to another. I'm just curious as to what the folks who study Shaolin consider the core of the martial application, i.e. the "fighting part" of Shaolin.

For example, to my way of thinking I would summarize the core of Karate to be linear striking. I think the essence of Wing Chun is trapping and in-fighting. I would describe Muay Thai as being based on powerful attacks.

Of course in any of these arts we can get into self development, inner peace, chi cultivation or whatever...but as far as the fighting part goes....

In short I would say at the core of Shaolin combat skill is the concept of perceiving your instinct and using it to your advantage, and the skill of an excellent defence.

This is the type of answer I was looking for, a short summary of an individuals view of the fighting aspect.

P.S. I do enjoy and respect the insights you bring in Shaolin as a greater entity. I do recognize Gong Fu is a very big box and the combat part may be of little of no importance to some people's Gong Fu. To me it's kind of my thing, my favorite aspect, but you probably gathered that.

[David Jamieson]

There is nothing in empty hand martial arts that is martially applicable in any real sense of the word these days.

A person who is learning traditional martial arts probably isn't training for anything other than personal interest and growth.

[RenDaHai]

Cheers Kellen, Yeah I get ya.

One could argue at the core of Shaolin combat skill is the training of the mind. The intense purpose of a disciplined intent. This is why Shaolin Kung Fu is strong, and also why you cannot isolate Shaolin from Chan.

But this gets wearisome and there is little useful technical information in saying it. A technical discussion is always welcome:

I will sum up Shaolins technical aspect with as much brevity as I can in a phrase used by my teachers:

Always patient and powerful in defence, like wearing spiked armour.

[Scythefall]

The core of Shaolin is jibengong. The jibengong are your catalog of basics. Typically 18 movements and very little variation from monk to monk. Maintaining these skills will allow you to walk into any school in the world and be respectable. Many teachers may not know anything about your latest obscure hand form but they'll definitely be looking at your stances and movements. If you have solid footwork and snappy technique then you've made your own Shifu proud.

Whether you're a fighter, a dancer, or just trying to get exercise..jibengong is how you will be judged by your shifu, your peers, and yourself.

Most people catch themselves on at least a few of them, "Oh man, I need to practice that one more"

[bawang]

the core of shaolin is superhuman ability through time and effort.

thousand pounds of great strength, hands breaking rocks, and three layers of skin.

[Scott R. Brown]

What is the core of Shaolin?

Modern interpretive dance!

[r.(shaolin)]

For example, to my way of thinking I would summarize the core of Karate to be linear striking.

I would summarize karate as: block with power and counter strike with power, in other words its a style based on powerful block/striking combinations.

Shaolin, in contrast, could be described as: evade and deflect with softness and agility and counter with sudden, heavy strength. A fighting approach particularly suited to fighting with weapons, and weapons were historically much more important to Shaolin than barehand fighting. The Shaolin that has been passed on in our tradition includes a saying, "Shaolin begins with 'Ji Ben Dong Zuo 基本動作' and ends with 'Ji Ben Dong Zuo'." It is this set (in addition with Lohan Kai Men 羅漢開門/Lohan Ma Deng Cao 羅漢馬鐙操) that all beginners in the lineage I practice learn. 'Ji Ben Dong Zuo' can be simply translated as 'basics' or 'fundamentals', but its name suggests a deeper meaning. 'Ji 基' means base or foundation; 'Ben 本' means roots or source; 'dong 動' means 'to use' or 'to act', however this character has even a deeper meaning and is made up of two characters 'Zhong 重' which means heavy and 'Li 力' which means 'force' or 'strength'; the last character 'Zuo 作' means 'to do' and also has a deeper meaning and is made up of two characters: "a 人- person, 乍 suddenly active". There is saying about Shaolin that has been passed on from our older generation which says "accept (an attack) lightly, but return (with your attack) heavily. A humours hyperbole passed on in our lineage says that "in ancient times a Shaolin master could punch one side of a mountain and kill a buffalo on the other side".​​ This is a fundamental concept to Shaolin. Developing this fundamental ability takes more than forms practice, one must also practice sandbag punching (Da Sha Bao - 打 沙包), finger thrusting (Cha Shou Zhi - 插 手指), sand bag snatching (Zhua Sha Bao - 抓沙包 ), stone seizing ( Shi Zhuo - 石捉 ), as well as other methods, to developed both the ability to evade and strike with sudden heavy strength.

However, boiling Shaolin martial arts down to a simple concept is misleading. Traditional Song Shan Shaolin martial arts were not based on a single premise but on military strategies which were developed by experienced military men. Its fighting principles in many ways mirrored the military strategies used by the ancient Chinese warriors and largely based on strategic principles, not on a single tactical idea and training methodology. These included military strategies such as ("聲東擊西 Sheng Dong Ji Xi") which meant that one had to surprise the enemy by attacking him where he least expects it and; ("打草驚蛇 "Da Cao Jing She") which meant when one doesn't know the enemies strength, first launch a direct but weak attack to observe the enemies reactions, then strike with heavy strength at his weakness, among others. The monks of Shaolin understood that no one could master a myriad of effective tactics, but that in combat there was great value in expanding ones strategic vocabulary and skill sets.