Shaolin History

In a small part of Henan province in China, 2 hour bus ride from present day Luoyang city, there was a temple known as the Shaolin Si, the Young Forest Temple. The Shaolin temples were a collection of Buddhist and Taoist monasteries but also similar to a present day university focusing on martial arts, religious study, contemplation, health, and fitness. Many of the students of the Shaolin Monastery were permanent residents although many were also travelers seeking temporary shelter, philosophical discussion and learning, spiritual enlightenment, martial arts and self defense skills, or refuge. The Monks and Nuns of the Shaolin monastery found great focus in their martial arts training and although they were peaceful Buddhists and Taoists they would justly defend their own lives and the lives of the Chinese people thus giving them the fame, beloved reputation, and favorable legends that are remembered today!

In the 6th century an Indian Monk named Bodhidharma (Tamo in Chinese), came into China from India crossing the Himalayan mountains. After presenting his form of Buddhism (called Chan in Chinese or Zen in Japanese) to the Chinese Emperor himself he was rejected due to the incredible self focus, control, time, effort, and internal cultivation his Chan Buddhism demanded. Tamo then traveled to central China and the Henan Shaolin temple where he was rejected at first as well by the Monks and Nuns of Shaolin who were not keen on the rigors and training Tamo brought with him. He stated this was the key to longevity, enlightenment, and becoming one with the universe. Subsequently, Tamo retreated to a nearby cave on Song Shan (Song Mountain) where he sat facing the cave wall meditating in silence for 9 years listening to the ants, quieting the chattering monkey’s, and taming the wild horses. He came down only when a Shaolin Monk named Hui Kou was rumored to have cut off his own arm in order to prove loyalty to Tamo’s teaching. Tamo emerged from the cave and taught the Monks and Nuns the 49 postures of the I Chin Ching (Yi Jin Jing – or Muscle Tendon Change) which was the foundation of the martial styles that followed! The Monks and Nuns found the Chi Kung (Qi Gong) and Martial Arts enhanced their spiritual development and also allowed them the confidence and discipline gained through the practice of self defense. The practiced was refined, developed, and added to spreading to 6 other temples. The temples at Shandong, Hua, Wudang, Emei, Guandong, and Fujian joined Henan as a network of Shaolin temples which trained for millennia (over 1500 years) in styles such as Tiger, Crane, Preying Mantis, Snake, Monkey, Spear, Broadsword, Straightsword, Staff, Sai, Nunchaku, Spear, Kwan Tao, Southern Fist, Northern Fist, Drunken Style, Pressure Points, Chin Na Grappling, and Internal Styles such as Tai Chi Chuan, Pa Kua Chang, Hsing I Chuan, Marrow Washing Meditation, and Hua Tou’s 5 Animal Play.

Our Shaolin Center of Martial Arts continues to develop and benefit from the training that gave the original monks and nuns of the Buddhist and Taoist Shaolin temples their great martial skill and longevity.