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Although it is dramatized in movies,
Shaolin would actually be brought to the brink of exhaustion through a
serious of 18 tests, 6 physical, 6 mental and 6 spiritual (thus the 18
chambers). It is even possible that one of these physical tests, the final one,
was the lifting of a hot cauldron with their bare forearms (each temple
traditionally had such a cauldron, unique to each temple). This cauldron
would not have been plain and would possibly have the raised relief of
symbolic animals, which would thus be burnt into the graduating monks arms
(as a reminder to them of their trials). Varied accounts suggest that these
cauldrons may have had the following symbols on them; · Wutang
Temple- A Tiger and Dragon for martial art Prowess · Henan
Temple- Dragon and Phoenix for universal balance/Yin Yang · Kwan
Tong Temple - Two Dragons for their clones to the Emperor · O
Mai Shan Temple - Two Cranes as they were close to the Tibetan border and a
healing temple Fukien Temple These marks were the
signs of a Shaolin graduate. (Not all who entered Shaolin graduated in the
full 18 chambers, many were only lay priests or guests, especially towards
the end of the Ming Dynasty). This is also the time when the original 170
movements were redefined into the 5 Animal Styles, Ng Ying Ga Kung Fu. 5
Animal Styles Li Sou introduced Zhue Yuen to Bai Yu Feng,
who was another famous martial arts practitioner. Zhue Yuen was able to
convince both to come back with him to Shaolin to develop Kung Fu. Together
they redeveloped Shaolin Kung Fu to the 5 animal styles (Tiger, Snake,
Dragon, Leopard and Crane). Although originally just exercise and Kung
Fu styles, over the next few hundred years the Shaolin were able to discover
and develop the 5 Animal Style system to be metaphors for human situation
handling, interaction, problem solving, planning and much more (much of this
was lost with the second burning of Shaolin and only the external Kung Fu
aspect was cultivated and maintained; but more on that later). The
4th temple O Mai Shan was in close contact with the
Crane Temple in Tibet and a major medical temple with books, tombs and
scrolls from east and west. This is probably the temple that burnt in the
symbols of 2 Cranes on to the forearms instead of having the traditional
Dragon as one of the two animals, as in the other three temples in the 18th
or 19th chamber principle. The
Invaders There were a significant number of factions
among the Chinese who aided the Manchu's against Ming loyalists, in large
part because the Manchu's held to the same ideology, governmental patterns,
and social organization as the Ming. By the early 1600's the Ming dynasty was
significantly weakened. It was unable to cope with both its own internal
tensions and the militarily strong 50's to the northeast. An internal rebellion was the direct cause
of the downfall of this dynasty (Chinese rebel Li Tzu-ch'eng seized Peking in
1644). That the Dutchmen were able to capitalize on this by being invited to
put down the rebellion by a frontier general is largely coincidental. The
Great Wall was hardly so impregnable that they would not have been able to
invade and conquer the area in its weakened state. Thus the Manchu's found the entrance to
China and slowly but steadily conquered China. Those that did not wish to
conform had to either migrate or go underground; some also sought refuge in
the Shaolin temples. Shaolin initially only offered passive
resistance against the invaders, seeking to remain above the political
matters. It helped anyone who sought refuge and thus involuntarily became a
safe haven for refugees and resistance fighters. The Manchu's also had 5
classes of people clearly defined; 1. The
Manchu Ruler and his family 2. The
Manchu Nobles and their families 3. Manchurians
in general 4. Northern
Chinese Southern Chinese Many loyal Ming soldiers and nobles sought
refuge and help in Shaolin. Shaolin, although themselves passive, became a
center of resistance. This was a thorn in the invaders side and needed to be
dealt with, drastically, but - The 2nd Burning of
Shaolin From this time onwards Shaolin were
outlawed and any practice of Shaolin Kung Fu punishable by death, much was
lost. Most of the priceless scrolls of Shaolin Kung Fu, teachings and many
treasures of knowledge and wisdom were lost. Shaolin monks and laypersons
were now split into many directions, all initially operating in secret. These
were those that; · continued
their resistance and taught Kung Fu for the sole purpose of fighting and
defeating the Chin's. They were the fathers of secret resistance
organizations know as the 'Triads', so named after a gift of the Ming Dynasty
Emperor to the Shaolin of a jade triangle. · were
devoted to the art. These passed down their learning from father to son or
most apt student. In this process, much was lost but enough was maintained.
None of these styles is all of Shaolin but each has key elements. · reverted
to being 'just' Buddhist priests migrated to many other countries including
the US, and many oriental countries including Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia,
Taiwan, etc... Many great Chinese Fighting Martial Artist
became famous during this time of strife and resistance (mid 17th Century to
1899), some gaining great notoriety. Among these were Hung Hei-Kwun and his
teachers from the temple, the Monk Sam Tak and the Abbot Chi Zin. But Shaolin
monks were now outlawed. They had to go into hiding and could no longer be
'Shaolin' monks openly. This is a time when Tai Chi 'styles' flourished, a
way of secretly training and teaching Kung Fu. The techniques were disguised,
movements slowed, stances and toughness hidden, but not forgotten. The
Reopening of Shaolin But the rulers of the day were still
fearful of the power of the Fighting Shaolin Monks so they only allowed
Shaolin to be used as purely religious purposes without allowing any Kung Fu
or other martial art training by order of death. The underground, no longer
Shaolin but Ming loyalists, were still very busy making life hard for the
Ching's. The rebellion came to a dead end with the
failure of the Boxer rebellion. Now some 250 years later, after the ousting
of the Ming's, the Boxer Rebellion was to overthrow the Ching Dynasty and
reinstate the original descendant of the Ming Dynasty. For decades, Chinese
Martial Artists (the Brits called this 'funny' style of fighting Boxing - and
the name stuck) prepared for this event. practicing hard Kung Fu and Chi Kung
body hardening, they attacked. The Manchu's, now armed with handguns and
rifles, totally destroyed the Boxers. This was the death of the Chinese
resistance. Some triad members escaped to other countries, including the US,
Korea, etc. Without a focus some/many triad members went into a new line of
business (and their descendants still are in this line of work). This caused
another influx of Chinese martial arts into the Orient, the US and now also
the new continent of Australia. Weather this was related to the Boxer
Rebellion or not, the Ching Dynasty debunked in 1911 (so well represented by
the movie 'The Last Emperor’). The time of Chaos and Hunger began. The
3rd Burning of Shaolin Chiang Kai Check himself was a great
believer of Kung Fu and although he forbade all martial art practice he
surrounded himself with Kung Fu fighting masters as his body guard. When he
was being threatened and ousted by the newly forming Chinese Republic, he
packed up as much Chinese treasure as he could, took his wife (who recently
died in the US aged 105) and 100 masters and moved to Taiwan. His arrival had
a key influence on that country and greatly 'enriched' the country. Cultural
Revolution This was more disastrous to Shaolin Kung Fu
(traditional Chinese Medicine and many 'traditional type disciplines; even
Ming Tombs were opened and the wood of the coffins used for furniture) than
anything else as it attacked Shaolin teachings and style on all fronts, not
just Kung Fu, but also Buddhism, Taoism, Healing and any type of organization
other than Mao's. This was the final death of Shaolin, worse than all three
previous burnings! 3rd Area of Shaolin A respected Chinese official was given the
task of breathing life back into Shaolin. As with many Chinese decisions, it
was both a pragmatic decision as well as financial and historical. The key
was to have an art that was dynamic and in spirit of Shaolin but not Kung Fu.
Wushu was ideal for this purpose. it embodied the spirit of Shaolin by
providing all the requirements for health and wellbeing as Kung Fu but
focused more on flow and athleticism rather than technique and fighting.
Wushu has grown and developed, with the many versions and adaptations of Kung
Fu - in some cases there is very little difference between the two. There was a problem though, as Shaolin and
its idea was already 'occupied' by a whole thriving industry called Shaolin
Village and many so called Shaolin temple training Schools. The re-opening of
the Shaolin temple by the "Grand Abbot" Master Su Xi who's kindness
and dedication seem so much similar as the original founder of Shaolin, gives
hope to a new era of Shaolin teaching and Spirit. But for all his good
teaching and kindness, he was also being used. Animal Wushu is being practiced, but not
the Shaolin 5 Animals but a new breed of modern, very athletic and well
developed Animal styles including; · Monkey · Eagle · Crane · Snake · Mantis |