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History of Shaolin 少林的历史

Thu, 04 Nov 2021 11:37:25 GMT

This Essay was written by Dai-SiHing Kevin Sears. I encourage everyone to go read his many writings, spanning a variety of subjects. He is in my opinion one of the best authors on both Chinese martial history, and Philosophy today.

On a mountain in Henan Province stands a Buddhist temple with a long and tempestuous history. It is the most famous Buddhist temple in China and perhaps even the world – its name is Shaolinsi, or Shaolin Temple. Before we begin to discuss the history of the Shaolin Temple, it is important to note that these dates are not certain and there may be many versions of the actual chronological progression. There are, however, certain events, regardless of the exact dates, that are instrumental to the creation and development of Shaolin. It is the knowledge of these events and their progression that is important to understanding how Shaolin became what it is today.

Chinese history is recorded by dynasty, a sequence of powerful rulers of the same family or group. We will be making reference to these dynasties in our discussion of Shaolin history.

Building the Temple

In the last years of the 5th century CE, there was an Indian monk named Buddhabhadra traveling around China teaching Hinayana Buddhism. The emperor at the time, Emperor Xiaowen, was a follower of Buddhism and invited Buddhabhadra to the Imperial Court, where he was renamed Batuo in Chinese. Emperor Xiaowen was so taken with Batuo’s teachings he offered him a permanent place within the Imperial Court. Batuo desired a location separated from the busy life in the court, so he declined the Emperor’s gracious offer. In return, Emperor Xiaowen commanded in 495 CE (19th year of Taihe, Northern Wei Dynasty)2 that a temple be built deep in the forest of the Shaoshi peak in the Songshan range, the area of the Five Great Mountains sacred to Taoism. This temple was named Shaolin for its location, shao (少) for the Shaoshi peak, lin (林) meaning “forest”, and si (寺) for temple. Therefore, Shaolin Temple (少林寺) means “Forest Temple on Shaoshi.”3 Once built, Batuo and the monks that joined him at Shaolin devoted themselves to the translation of Buddhist scriptures (sutras).

Bodhidharma Comes to Shaolin

Around 527 CE4, another Indian monk named Bodhidharma came to China to spread Mahayana Buddhist teachings. He was said to be an Indian prince turned monk and disciple of Prajnatara, the 27th patriarch of Indian Buddhism. In a similar fashion, Bodhidharma was invited to the Imperial Court of the then emperor, Emperor Wu Ti, and renamed Damo in Chinese. Unlike Batuo, however, Damo was not well received and left the Imperial Court. He then traveled to the Shaolin Temple, famous at the time for their sutra translations, where the abbot refused to allow Damo to enter. Damo retreated to a cave on Wuru Peak, a mountain behind the Shaolin Temple, where he meditated for 9 years. It is said that Damo sat facing a wall for so much of those 9 years that his shadow was permanently etched onto the cave wall.5 During this time of isolation, it is said that Damo, through a fusion of Buddhist and Chinese philosophy created what is known today as Chan (or Zen in Japanese) Buddhism.6 When he returned to the Temple, his determination and devotion impressed the monks and they allowed him to enter.

Legend states that while observing the daily routine of the Temple, Damo was distraught to see many monks of a sickly and weak constitution. He was also upset to see monks losing concentration and falling asleep during their daily tasks and meditations. Without being able to concentrate, Damo could not see how these monks could reach the calm, focused state of mind and inner peace necessary to reach Enlightenment, an important journey for all Buddhists. In addition, with its remote location, there were many dangerous wild animals and bandits around the Temple. With these two considerations in mind, Damo, who as an Indian prince was said to be of the Warrior caste and thus trained in martial arts, created what became known as the 18 Hands of Lohan.7 The exercises are said to be derived from existing methods used by the Chinese people to keep fit and from Damo’s observations of the movement of animals. They were meant to help keep the monks healthy and fit as well as teach basic self-defense. This practice of balancing a healthy mind with a healthy spirit and a healthy body, the Chan Buddhist sect influence, became the pillar upon which Shaolin philosophy and practice was founded.

Temple Growth through the Early Common Era Dynasties

Around 536 CE, Damo passed on, leaving his teachings to his main disciple. For the next 40 years, the Temple refined and practiced the Chan teachings and physical exercises. However, during the years surrounding 574-577 CE (at the end of the Northern Zhou Dynasty), Emperor Zhou Wu issued an Imperial Decree banning Buddhism and the Temple was abandoned. Not long after, in the years between 579 and 580 CE, Emperor Zhou Jing resurrected Buddhism and began the reconstruction of the Shaolin Temple, renaming it “Zhihusi” (Zhihu Temple).

In 580 CE, the Northern Zhou Dynasty was overthrown by Yang Jian, who became Emperor Wen of Sui, creating the Sui Dynasty. In 581, Emperor Wen, a Buddhist devotee, returned the name of “Shaolin” to the Temple. When he returned the name, Emperor Wen issued an Imperial Decree bestowing 100 qing (an ancient Chinese unit of measurement where 1 qing was roughly equivalent to 16.474 acres) of cypress land to the Temple, providing them with some economic strength.

During the later years of the Sui Dynasty, civil unrest, warlord attacks, and bandit raids were frequent and culminated in two important events for the Shaolin Temple. In 618 CE (the first year of the Tang Dynasty), bandits attacked and burned the Temple. Around 621 CE, during the reign of Emperor Gaozu, a dangerous warlord, Wang Shichong, captured the cypress estate bestowed on the Shaolin Temple by Emperor Wen to use as a military staging ground in preparation for attacking the Temple itself. Emperor Gaozu’s son, Prince Li Shimin, engaged Wang Shichong and was captured. From the Temple, 13 monks attacked Wang Shichong’s army, rescued Li Shimin, and captured Wang Shichong’s nephew, Wang Renze.

When Li Shimin ascended to the throne to become the 2nd Emperor of the Tang Dynasty, Emperor Taizong, he issued an Imperial Decree granting land to the Temple, the right to train a small army of martial monks, and other small tokens. This decree, more importantly, gave the monks permission to eat meat and drink alcohol.8 Throughout the long reign of the Tang Dynasty (618-907 CE), the Shaolin Temple flourished under the patronage and support of the Tang Emperors. The temple grew to own over 14,000 Chinese mu (1/100th of a qing) of farmland, 540 Chinese mu of temple area with over 5,400 rooms, and house over 2,000 monks.

In 728 CE, the monks erected a stele at the temple engraved with the stories of the military aid they had given in the past to serve as a reminder to future emperors.

This golden age for the Temple would come to an end toward the last years of the Tang Dynasty (around 845 CE). The current emperor, Emperor Wu Zong, decreed that Buddhism should be destroyed. He razed almost all the temples in the empire and returned thousands of Buddhist clergy into lay life or hiding. This persecution lasted for 20 months until Emperor Xuan Zong ascended the throne in 846 CE and enacted a policy of tolerance.

There are few records of the history of the Shaolin Temple from the end of the Tang Dynasty (907 CE), through the Northern and Southern Song Dynasties (907-1279 CE), through the end of the Yuan Dynasty, the period of Mongol rule, (1279-1368 CE), a period of 461 years. During the Yongxi period of the Song Dynasty, the Shaolin Temple reserved over 9,500 volumes of Buddhist Scriptures, earning the Temple the title of the “First Temple in the World.”

In the year 1126 CE (the year the Northern Song Dynasty fell), a memorial hall was erected in the Bodhidharma’s honor. Popularly known as The Hall of the Chan Founding Patriarch, it is situated two kilometers to the northwest of the monastery.

It was not until the establishment of the Yuan Dynasty that Shaolin Monastery regained its prosperity. Kublai Khan appointed Monk Fuyu, a reputed and erudite leader of the school under the Chan sect, as Abbot of the Shaolin Buddhist Monastery. At that same time, Kublai Khan decreed that Shaolin Monastery was to function as the arch-monastic institution in China, responsible for governing all the Buddhist monasteries across China. With over 2,000 monks, the Temple promoted charitable works and worked toward fully developing Shaolin martial arts.10 Additionally, Abbot Fuyu established the patriarchal clan naming system that has been passed down for 70 generations.

In 1351, the Shaolin Temple was completely burned to the ground during the Hongjin (Red Turban) Rebellion.

Ming and Qing Dynasties

From the beginning of the Ming Dynasty onward, martial arts of the Shaolin School grew more and more sophisticated and mature, with the branches of martial arts also growing in number.

During the Ming Dynasty, Japanese pirates often invaded the coastal areas in the southeastern China. The Ming imperial court repeatedly asked the Shaolin detachment of warrior monks to take part in attacks against the Japanese pirates. The detachment led by both Monk Xiaoshan and Monk Yuekong launched several deadly offensives against the Japanese pirates. Most warrior monks of the detachment, including the two leading monks, were killed in action. The stone memorial to those heroes still stands proudly in front of the gate of the monastery. The inscriptions on the pagodas of the two heroic monks in the Precinct of Pagodas in the monastery describe their feats in detail.

At the end of the Ming dynasty around 1644, China was in chaos. Many scholars started to learn wushu in hopes of fighting against the Manchus, who later invaded central China and founded the Qing dynasty. Among these early scholars were Huang Songxi and Gou Yanwu, who not only practiced wushu but also wrote books about it. These books played an important role in promoting Shaolin kung-fu.

During the early years of the Qing Dynasty, the Shaolin Temple accused of being a haven for anti-Qing activists and was destroyed. The second Qing Emperor of China, Kangxi gifted his own calligraphy to the temple to signify its return to favor. However, the temple was cautious of what types of martial arts would be studied during this time so as to not appear too threatening to the throne.

In 1735, in the 13th year of Emperor Yongzheng, the emperor personally came to the temple with his son, Qianlong, to oversee the renovation and rebuilding of the temple. During this time, they cleansed the temple of “fake monks,” martial artists who wore monks robes without being ordained. However, later in his reign, Emperor Qianlong banned monastic martial arts.

Throughout both the closing period of the Qing Dynasty and the beginning decades of the Republic of China, drastic social upheavals left Shaolin Monastery exposed to the pillage of warlords’ armed forces and bandits. After the 1911 Revolution that overthrew China’s last feudal dynasty, martial art masters were regarded as the hatchet men of officials and wealthy people. Although sometimes they were asked to hold contests, these were merely shows for fun. Under such circumstances, Shaolin Kung-Fu, as with all other schools, couldn’t develop.

In 1928, General Shi Yousan led some detachments under his command and stormed the Shaolin Monastery. The pillage committed by his soldiers culminated in a hellish conflagration that devoured more than two thousand significant buildings in the monastic compound, including the Hall of Sakyamuni, the Hall of the Four Heavenly Sovereigns, the Buddhist Scriptures Depository, the Belfry, and the Tower of Drums. Also destroyed in the conflagration were numerous valuable relics and dossiers. It burned for over 40 days. The main structures and many valued cultural relics were destroyed. Literature on Shaolin wushu, such as the Orthodox Shaolin Skills, Secrets of Shaolin Boxing, and The Essence of Shaolin Boxing, were lost in the fire. This disaster inflicted a deadly blow on the monastery that was almost completely buried under the fire’s debris.

Shaolin in Modern Times

The People’s Republic of China was founded in 1949. At the start, historic elements were not preserved, but gradually the government began to appreciate the cultural value of these elements. Before the middle of the 1960’s, a steady flow of government appropriations had been directed to fuel the reconstruction of the Shaolin Monastery. Step by step, the monastery regained its past splendor and reclaimed its previous glory.

The Constitution of the People’s Republic of China was adopted by the 5th National People’s Congress on Dec. 4, 1982. It has subsequently been revised three times and the current constitution guarantees freedom of religion. Yet the central government in Beijing has limited the right to peacefully assemble. Perhaps because of this, the central government has limited religious practice in China to those groups officially recognized by the government. In 1983, the State Council declared the monastery to be among China’s important cultural sites that deserve national-level protection.

Since the current abbot, Abbot Shi Yongxin assumed leadership of the Shaolin Temple in 1999, his cultural initiatives and global outreach programs, in conjunction with the Chinese government, have helped to preserve Shaolin philosophy and teachings and made these invaluable teachings accessible to the world.

You can read more articles by Dai-SiHing Sears at:

https://splinteredstaff.wordpress.com/

Chinese weapons

Wed, 03 Nov 2021 12:40:28 GMT

This is another excerpt from an essay written by Dai-SiHing Kevin Sears. Please go read his many writings, spanning a variety of subjects. He is in my opinion one of the best authors on both Chinese martial history, and Philosophy today.

During the Tang and Song Dynasties (from the 900s to late 1300s) weapons fighting was the basis of Chinese military arts training. These skills took form and were perfected during this time. Empty-handed fighting remained rudimentary by comparison during this period.

Complex hand systems evolved much later in the late Ming and early Qing eras. While sophisticated hand methods may have been founded and built upon older principles, the majority of the arts and forms practiced today (in their current form) had their genesis no earlier than the early to middle Qing Dynasty (1600s – 1800s).

Today in most traditional martial arts schools, weapons training only begins in any earnestness after significant time spent in fundamental empty-handed practice, and some proficiency has been gained in these skills. The logic here is that one should develop certain skills before adding a more complex and potentially dangerous element. However, this is a relatively new view in the overall history of Chinese martial arts.

Shaolin Temple records are one of, if not the greatest, single source for Chinese martial arts history. This is because of several factors. Many ancient martial arts masters were highly secretive and would not have chosen to record much of their fighting methods; they guarded their military skills no different than how nations guard their secrets today. However, even if they would have been willing to leave written records, many ancient fighters were illiterate. Most fighters became professional martial artists (bodyguards, couriers, soldiers, etc.) out of necessity and not choice. The vast majority would have come from small, poor, farming communities, and would not have received a classical education.

Today we have a romanticized view of the highly educated scholar warriors and monk warriors presented in movies, video games, and other popular outlets. While such individuals did indeed exist, they were a comparatively small group. As a result, the vast majority of professional martial artists would have been unable to leave written records. However, at the Shaolin Temple, the resident monks would have had the ability to read and write in order to study and copy Buddhist texts. In addition, the Temple enjoyed great fame through many periods of Chinese history, and as such it would be a place rich and powerful families would send their sons for Buddhist education. It was even a place where many Imperial officials, and military generals or officers would retire after ending their careers as agents of the throne. Many of these individuals would have been among the most highly educated individuals in all of the empire and learned in all aspects of classical Chinese culture.

Additionally, the Shaolin Temple enjoyed a higher level of protection from the dynastic governments than did other temple and monasteries because of its fame and the fact it had been a place of pilgrimage for many rulers.

All of these factors combined to make the records of the Shaolin Temple some of the largest and most extensive records on Chinese martial arts throughout history. What these records show us is that even at the Temple, emphasis on empty-handed martial arts is a relatively new occurrence, taking hold during the Qing Dynasty, a little more than 400 years ago.

When martial arts existed as battlefield and war arts, weapons were always used. A soldier had to be trained in the use of their primary, as well as backup, battle weapons and empty-handed fighting skills were much less valued because they were not as useful for the battlefield. Just like modern military soldiers, if the ancient warrior got to the point of fighting with their hands, that means they had lost all of their weapons; several things had gone wrong in that engagement.

Most empty-handed fighting methods in these times were rudimentary. But the weapons training was highly emphasized and extremely sophisticated. Then in the Qing Dynasty there was an explosion of highly refined empty-handed systems. This is due to several converging factors, one of which is because of the introduction of firearms to warfare in China. As guns became more prevalent in war, personal fighting skills lost value. Eventually, martial arts became arts of self-cultivation (which was also a fairly new concept) and even when used directly for combat, it was often in the realm of organized contests or private duels.

Chinese martial arts weapons training is built around the four primary weapons (staff, saber, spear, and sword). Many systems have many weapons sets, and traditionally there are considered 18 major classifications of weapons. However, a student’s basic weapons education would encompass these four basic constructions, and their techniques can be adapted to all similarly constructed weapons. One would also have some idea of what to expect from an opponent’s weapon style. Familiarity with several types of weapons gave a fighter a better understanding of how an opponent might utilize a weapon should they use one that is similar. Similar weapons will have similar techniques, and just as there are only so many ways to punch and kick, there are only so many ways to swing and thrust a weapon.

You can read more articles from Dai-SiHing Sears at:

https://splinteredstaff.wordpress.com/

Horse stance

Mon, 15 Apr 2019 12:41:17 GMT

This is another excerpt from an essay written by Dai-SiHing Kevin Sears. Again, I encourage everyone to go read his many writings, spanning a variety of subjects. He is in my opinion one of the best authors on both Chinese martial history, and Philosophy today.

The practice of standing in horse stance (mǎbù; 馬步) is a staple of traditional Shaolin-based martial arts training. Yet, I am continually surprised by how many practitioners of these arts have an incomplete view of this practice.

In Chinese martial arts, what we commonly call a “stance” could be more appropriately called either a “stand”, or a “step”, depending upon what you are doing. Practicing static stances is a very specific and narrow practice used in many Chinese martial arts. While certainly a certain amount of muscular strength and stamina is required for this practice, it is actually a quite inefficient and ineffective training method, from a purely physical perspective. Standing in a static stance for an extended period, with a specific degree of bend in the joints, really only improves your skill at standing still in that specific position.

Yet, martial arts are not a static activity; it is a dynamic moving and explosive practice. The term “step” in this context defines a moving practice or transition, training the ability to move quickly and powerfully into and out of a particular position. This kind of training method is much more useful and applicable directly in martial arts fighting techniques, and is much more effective at building functional strength in the muscles, tendons and ligaments.

So the question naturally arises, what is the function of prolonged periods of static standing horse stance in the classical training methods? Having a proper perspective on the purpose and function of all of one’s training methods is important for the classical martial artist. It is very easy to get carried away in our affinity for the histories and traditions and not think critically about our training methods. Everything in traditional martial arts has a purpose and a function, nothing is superfluous. Before addressing the mindset of static horse stance training, it is important to have a correct understanding of the physical form.

Proper form of horse stance practice

The width of one’s stance will very depending upon the length of the individual practitioner’s legs, and their proportion with the rest of their body. Generally speaking, the feet should be two or two and one-half times the width of one’s hips. The toes will point more forward than outward, squat and open the knees and hips while tilting the pelvis forward.

The feet should be flat, not rolling inward or outward because this affects the ability to root and hold on to the floor. Your weight should also not be too far forward or backwards on the feet, but rather coming straight down through the lower leg and ankle into the arch of the foot. This allows your weight and intent to drive straight into the ground like a stake.

Ideally, as much as possible the knee should be above the ankle, do not allow the knees to project forward past the toes. This puts tremendous unhealthy strain on the patellar tendon which runs over the kneecap. You want the bones of the lower leg (the tibia) to be as vertical as possible, like pillars supporting the rest of your body. If the base formed by the feet is too wide, the knees may project inward putting unhealthy stress on the soft tissues that support the inside of the knee joint. Over a period of time this stress may cause hypermobility or injury to the inside of the joint.

As you squat, it is very important to open the hips and tuck the pelvis under slightly. This prevents you from sticking your butt out behind you. When the pelvis projects too far behind you, this causes unhealthy strain in the low back. By tucking the pelvis you are also able to keep the spine and upper body in a neutral vertical position. Your knees bend between 70 and 90°, with the back of the legs parallel with floor. If possible, you want to carry the load of the stance more on the hamstring and gluteal muscle groups along the back of the leg and butt, rather than on the front of the leg primarily in the quadriceps group.

Keep your back straight and chamber the hands to prevent the upper torso from caving in forward. If this happens you inhibit your ability to breathe fully and completely. Your head should remain up, and in line with the spine, eyes looking forward. Breathe deeply taking full breaths in and out. It is imperative that you not hold your breath and that you keep relaxed, consistent breathing.

When trying to increase the duration or stability of your horse stance there are multiple methods you can use. A few options follow:

In a horse or half horse stance hold a bowl or small weight in each palm and extend your arms out away from your shoulders, either to the side or forward. This quickly becomes difficult.
A book, bowl, teacup or other object may be balanced on top of the head to ensure you maintain proper vertical alignment.
Squat slightly deeper than the 90° knee bend and balance a staff, bowl, or teacup on the the knees.
Practice balancing on bricks or blocks. This trains the ability to project the intent of your mind through the object and focus on driving the weight straight down to root into the floor.

The mental side of stance practice

The real purpose and value of horse stance training is cultivating or exercising the mental discipline over the physical body. Shaolin martial arts are well-known for their iron body skills. This is the ability of the practitioner to withstand crushing blows to the body or limbs, or to develop striking toughness in the hands or feet. However, the most important of the “iron” skills is what we could call the Shaolin iron will or mind.

The vast collection of martial arts styles that have sprung from Shaolin are so many and varied that it would not be possible to learn them in a single lifetime, much less become proficient and master more than a few. However, no matter what physical form a Shaolin style may take, they all have a common goal; formation and hardening of the iron will. The purpose of training, challenge and struggle is to forge a human being who is unshakable, mentally and physically. That is the ideal. The practice of horse stance serves this purpose.

In Horse stance the pain you feel is really extreme discomfort. If you are practicing properly, you are not causing injury. Your body will attempt to resist what your mind is trying to tell it to do. The more you move, the more your body will resist your efforts to remain still. Your body must obey the mind’s commands, it has no other option. However, you must discipline your mind to command your body to do this, not just suggest or insist.

Do not fight against yourself, do not struggle against the activity. Accept it for what it is. It is uncomfortable, so do not try to convince yourself it is not, or ignore it. Observe the reality of what you are doing and accept it without judging. When you struggle with yourself mentally, you increase the difficulty. For some, it can be useful to focus on the breath; the sensation of air. Feel it, coming in through your nostrils and the initial coolness inside your nasal cavity, feel the chest expand and the diaphragm contract downward. Then reverse the process on the out breath.

No matter what method of physical or mental training you choose, it is critical to make a commitment to not give up, no matter what. Create that discipline for yourself. I often see people attempt to hold a perfect horse stance form but give up after a short period of time. They continue this process of repeatedly getting up or falling over for the duration of the practice period. From my perspective, this just reinforces your habit of giving up and failing at your goal. You tell yourself that it is difficult or impossible, and sure enough, you repeatedly reinforce your own judgment of the situation. If you can squat in perfect horse stance position but only for a short period of time, it is of very little use.

It is my opinion you need to train a habit and outlook of success. You should always be pushing yourself, attempting to do lower or longer stands. With that as the starting point, when you reach a point where you feel you can no longer maintain that position, but you have not reached the end of the session, rather than falling over, or standing up completely, raise your stance, but strive to not give up completely. This should only be done at that point where you would normally stand up and give up completely. While it is true you have broken the proper position, you are also training your mind and body that when it is time for stance practice, you will not completely give up no matter what. This develops a pattern of discipline, and many people find helps calm the mind. The mind learns that whatever the set length of time is, you will not give up before then. This can contribute to accepting the situation for what it is and reduce the “fire” in the mind this practice often produces.

The point is to not let the pain control you. Don’t ignore the pain, just let it be there. Don’t judge it, struggle to change it or distract yourself. Just accept it and let the mind settle. Relax everything not essential for the position; as it becomes harder, the discomfort more intense, the more the rest of your body and your breath should relax.

As you let the pain be and rest, it will settle into the back of your conscious mind. You will lose the “obsession” with the pain. The obsession with the discomfort can be consuming. But it is only a sensory signal to the brain. It won’t go away, but it does not have to be all-consuming. There is no “trick” or secret technique that makes it easy. It is intended to be difficult! That is actually the point of the practice. There is only the discipline of consistent and constant practice and the stillness of body and mind.

Developing the iron will was the true power of the Shaolin fighter, not their physical techniques. The discipline and mental fortitude was their most powerful weapons. On a purely technical level there are many weaknesses in the Shaolin methods of martial skills. Yet their strength and renown was drawn from the fact that they pushed themselves in their own training well beyond what an outside opponent could impose upon them. This was not only true of horse stance practice, but of all their practice methods.

The mind of the true warrior is the most powerful tool. In gongfu one way we train this is through the disciplined commitment to squat and not get up no matter what. The ability to find mental and emotional stillness and clarity in the hurricane of pain (or physical combat). I believe this also has tremendous applicability in the fast pace of our modern society.

You can read the full article at:

https://splinteredstaff.wordpress.com/