Indian Buddhist Monk Created Shaolin Kungfu *

    BODHIDHARMA is credited with the creation of Shaolin Kungfu (Painting by Yoshitoshi 1887)

Bodhidharma was a Buddhist monk who arrived in China from India around AD 480. He is traditionally credited as the transmitter of Chan Buddhism to China. According to Chinese legend, he also began the physical training of the monks of Shaolin Monastery that led to the creation of Shaolin Kungfu.

In Japan, he is known as Daruma.

Shaolin Kung Fu: is one of the oldest, largest, and most famous styles of Kung Fu. It combines Zen Buddhism and martial arts. It originated and was developed in the Shaolin temple in Henan province, China. Chinese monasteries were large landed estates, sources of considerable regular income and monks required protection.

Shaolin temple has two main legacies: Chan, which refers to Chan Buddhism, the religion of Shaolin, and Quan , which refers to the martial arts of Shaolin. In Shaolin, these are not separate disciplines and monks have always pursued the philosophy of the unification of Chan and Quan.

On the Quan (martial) side, usual classifications of contents are:

1. Basic skills : These include stamina, flexibility, and balance,

2. Power skills : These include

            • Meditation- stationary meditation, and external which is dynamic.

            • The 72 arts: These Include 36 soft and 36 hard exercises

3. Combat skills : These include various barehanded, weapon, and barehanded vs. weapon routines (styles) and their combat methods.

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