Northern Shaolin (martial art)

Northern Shaolin (martial art)
Part of the series on
Chinese martial arts
Shaolinsi.JPG
List of Chinese martial arts
Terms
Historical places
Historical people
Legendary figures
Related
This box: view · talk · edit

In its broadest sense, Northern Shaolin (Chinese: 北少林; Pinyin: běishàolín, Cantonese: Bak Sil Lum) refers to the external (as opposed to internal) martial arts of Northern China referring to those styles from the Northern Shaolin Monastery in Henan. At its most specific, Northern Shaolin refers to a style called Fist taught at the gates of Northern Shaolin (Chinese: 北少林拳門; Cantonese: Bak Sil Lum Kuen Moon [1]), disseminated by Gu Ruzhang (Cantonese Ku Yu Cheung).

Contents

Characteristics

The Northern Shaolin style of kung fu is one of the most prominent traditional northern styles of Chinese martial arts. The northern styles of kung-fu generally emphasize long range techniques, quick advances and retreats, wide stances, kicking and leaping techniques, whirling circular blocks, quickness, agility, and aggressive attacks.

The system teaches empty-hand techniques and weaponry through predetermined combinations, known as forms, routines, or movement of sets. The students learn the basics by practicing the routines until the movements in the routines can be executed naturally based on instinct. Then, two or multiple man sets are practiced to train responses and applications of techniques learned from the sets. The practice sets/routines are not only practical in applications but are also graceful and artistic in nature. The fluidness of the movements combined with acrobatic techniques are trademarks of the Northern Shaolin sets.

The Northern Shaolin style was made famous by the late Ku Yu Cheung. There are many legends of Ku; according to tales related by his close students, Ku's father was an accomplished exponent of the Tan Tui ("springing leg") form. When he was young, Ku traveled throughout Northern China to learn all the northern kung fu systems. He was renowned for his Iron Palm techniques and the application of the long spear. He organized all his learnings into what is today's Northern Shaolin style.

History

The monastery in Henan is the original Shaolin Monastery. The monks began to practice military weapons sometime around the Tang Dynasty and became famous for aiding the future Emperor Li Shimin in struggles against rebellious forces. The monks were primarily known for their spear and staff techniques until the Ming-Qing transition when they began to specialize in unarmed combat. As the reputation of the Shaolin martial arts grew during the following centuries, its name became synonymous with martial arts, regardless of whether an individual art traced its origins to the Shaolin Monastery in Henan or not.[2] As a result, the "Shaolin" moniker was applied to other Buddhist temples with strong reputations for martial arts. The characteristics of the martial arts taught at each temple were so different from each other that they became identified with their place of origin.

The Northern Shaolin style associated with Gu Ruzhang was first taught to a lay disciple, the celebrated 18th century master Gan Fengchi of Jiangsu Province, by a Shaolin monk named Zhao Yuan, born Zhu Fu, a member of the Ming royal family who joined the sangha after the Ming was overthrown by the Qing in 1644. (Gan is also remembered for founding the martial art Huāquán 花拳, literally "flower fist", about which he wrote the book Introduction to Huāquán.) Gan in turn taught Wan Bangcai, who taught Yan Degong, who taught Yan Sansen, who taught Yan Jiwen, who taught his nephew Gu Ruzhang (1894–1952).

Generation 1-7

  1. 朝元 和尚 (Monk Zhāo Yuán)
  2. 甘鳳吃 (Gān Fèng Chī)
  3. 萬邦才 (Wàn Bāng Cái)
  4. 嚴徳功 (Yán Dé Gōng)
  5. 嚴三省 (Yán Sān Xǐng)
  6. 嚴機(繼)溫 (Yán Jī Wēn)
  7. 顧汝章 (Gù Rǔ Zhāng)

Yan Jiwen also taught Gu the skills of Iron Body and Iron Palm. On a famous occasion in 1931, Gu is said to have demonstrated the latter on a horse.

Among the martial artists who gathered at the Central National Martial Arts Institute in Nanjing in 1928, Gu placed in the top fifteen and was included—alongside Fu Zhensong, Li Xianwu, Wan Laimin, Wan Laisheng, and Wong Shao Chou—in the Five Southbound Tigers (五虎下江南; pinyin: wǔ hǔ xià jiāng nán; literally "five tigers heading south of Jiangnan"), five masters of the Northern Chinese martial arts sent to Guangzhou to organize another National Martial Arts Institute.

In Guangzhou, the name "Shaolin" was already associated with Hung Gar and other styles, so Gu's style came to be known by the name Northern Shaolin. Also by the names Bak Sil Lum in Cantonese and Bei Shaolin in Mandarin.

The Northern Shaolin curriculum of Gu Ru Zhang

  Chinese Mandarin Pinyin Cantonese  
Open the Door 開門 Kāi Mén Hoi Moon open the door
Lead the Way 領路 Lǐng Lù Ling Lo lead the way
The Sitting Horse 坐馬 Zuò Mǎ Choh Ma sit on the horse
Pierce the Heart 穿心 Chuān Xīn Cheun Sam penetrate the heart
Martial Skill 武藝 Wǔ Yì Mo Ngai martial skill
Short Strike 短打 Duǎn Dǎ Duen Da hand to hand combat
Plum Flower 梅花 Méi Huā Mui fa plum flower
Uprooting Step 拔步 Bá Bù Boot Bo pluck the stance
Chained Fist 連環拳 Liánhuánquán Lin Waan Keun continuous fist
Pattern Method 式法 Shì Fǎ Sik Faat knowing the way

Note that some heirs of Zhang's tradition teach these routines in a different order, particularly those under Chan Kowk Wai, graduated master by Yim Shang Wu, a direct student of Zhang and introductor of Northern Shaolin into Brazil.

In Argentina, the "WuHsingChuan" School of Sifu Neldo Sacomani teach the style Bak Siu Lam Mun, learned directly from Hong Kong. Your direct line of learning is: Ku Yu Cheung - Lung Tze Cheung (classmate Yim Seung Mo) - Lung Kai Ming - Hui Yin Fu.

References

  • Chan Kowk Wai, Ariovaldo F. A. Veiga. Kung Fu Shaolin do Norte: Técnicas Básicas. São Paulo, 1995. Biopress Editora, SP.
  1. ^ "Academia Sino-Brasileira de Kung Fu". http://www.sinobrasileira.org/index.php?id=4&subid=12&ln=pt. Retrieved 2010-04-15. 
  2. ^ Shahar, Meir. The Shaolin Monastery: History, Religion, and the Chinese Martial Arts. Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press, 2008 (ISBN 0824831101)

Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно решить контрольную?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Northern Praying Mantis (martial art) — For the Southern Chinese self defence technique of the Hakka people, see Southern Praying Mantis (martial art). Tang Lang Stone monument to Wang Lang on Laoshan in Shandong Province. Also known as Tong4 Long4 Tōrō ken …   Wikipedia

  • Southern Praying Mantis (martial art) — For the Northern Chinese self defence technique from Shandong, see Northern Praying Mantis (martial art). Southern Praying Mantis (南派螳螂) is a Chinese martial art native to the Hakka (客家) communities of Southern China. Despite having the name… …   Wikipedia

  • Sambo (martial art) — Sambo, Russian: Cамбо International Federation of Amateur Sambo …   Wikipedia

  • Lama (martial art) — This article is about the closely related Lama Pai, Hop Gar, and Tibetan White Crane styles of martial arts. For the Fujianese style of White Crane, see Fujian White Crane (martial art). The closely related martial arts Lama Pai, Tibetan White… …   Wikipedia

  • Shaolin-Do — Focus Hybrid Country of origin Indonesia Parenthood Chinese martial arts and many other martial arts Olympic sport No Shaolin Do (Chinese: 少林道; Mandarin Pinyin: shàolín dào; Jyutping: siu2lam …   Wikipedia

  • Shaolin Monastery — Shaolin Temple redirects here. For other uses, see Shaolin Temple (disambiguation). Shaolin Monastery 少林寺 …   Wikipedia

  • Martial arts — For other uses, see Martial arts (disambiguation). Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as …   Wikipedia

  • Grandmaster (martial arts) — Grandmaster (or Grand Master) and Master are titles used to describe or address some senior or experienced martial artists. Such titles may be, to some extent, aligned to the elderly martial arts master stock character in fiction. In Oriental… …   Wikipedia

  • Shaolin Temple UK — is a martial arts school and centre for study of Shaolin culture, in particular Gong Fu Ch an, Qi Gong and Ch an Buddhist Meditation. It was founded in 2000 by Shaolin monk Shifu Shi Yanzi, and is located in North London, between the Tufnell Park …   Wikipedia

  • Martial arts of Zhou Tong — This is an article about martial arts styles attributed to Zhou Tong. To read his main article, go to Zhou Tong (archer). Various martial arts have been attributed to or associated with Zhou Tong, the archery teacher of Song Dynasty general, Yue… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”