Shaolin Boxing before 1780

[bawang]

Where is the edge of a thing? Under scrutiny all things lose their outline, even the fundamental particles of nature. Quite so. If I am to analyse the technique across all styles of Kung Fu, from Wudang to Shaolin to E'Mei to Wutai, I will find the vast majority of the techniques identical. Abstract from form to application and many MA of the world have largely identical techniques.

There is a lot of overlap.

And sometimes it is useful to think in this way.

But sometimes we have to impose a border to help us contemplate. In this case, the border is imposed by a map of Song Mountain and the Kung Fu within.

- the neighboring village train generic style hongquan and changquan.

-shaolin documents admit to learning generic long fist from outside during 1500s

- shaolin people after 1986 were known to travel around china "buying" forms and manuals.

- modern songshan shaolin system is missing the fundamental beginner forms: four gates, 8 hits, 13, 36, etc.

-traditional jibengong missing (5 elements) instead taught using modern wushu methods (mabu, gongbu, etc)

- staff forms from the well known 500 year old shaolin staff manual is nowhere found in shaolin temple.

-famous treasured staff technique from general yu not found

- shaolin musket tradition missing

-archery tradition missing

-cavalry tradition missing

- wagon (siege) tradition missing

- formation and squad tactics tradition missing

-traditional sparring equipment missing

-republic era modernization tradition missing (bolt action rifles)