Warrior monks of Shaolin

Martial arts movies and the 'Kung Fu' TV series of the 70s have certainly made Shaolin the most famous Buddhist monastery in the world. Originally built by Emperor Hsiao-Wen of northern China ca. 477 AD - according to sources from 496 AD - the temple was destroyed and rebuilt several times.

At the beginning of the 470th century, the Indian sage Bodhidharma (about 543-XNUMX) arrived in Shaolin and founded the Zen Buddhist school (Ch'an in China). The link between Zen and martial arts was also forged there. Here, Zen meditation practices have been applied to movement.

During the cultural revolution that began in 1966, the monastery was sacked by the red guards and the few remaining monks were imprisoned. The monastery was an empty ruin until martial arts schools and discos around the world donated money to renovate it.

Although kung fu did not originate in Shaolin, the monastery is linked to martial arts in legend, literature and cinema. Martial arts were practiced in China long before Shaolin was built. Shaolin-style kung fu developed elsewhere is also possible. However, there is historical documentation that martial arts have been practiced in the monastery for centuries.

The many legends of Shaolin warrior monks emerged from a very real story.

The historical connection between Shaolin and martial arts has many centuries. In 618, thirteen Shaolin monks are said to have supported Li Yuan, Duke of Tang, in a revolt against Emperor Yang, thus establishing the Tang dynasty. In the XNUMXth century the monks fought armies of bandits and defended the coast of Japan from Japanese pirates (see History of the Shaolin monks).

The abbot of Shaolin

Shaolin Monastery's businesses include a reality TV show that looks for kung fu stars, a traveling kung fu show and properties all over the world.

The photo shows Shi Yongxin, abbot of Shaolin monastery, attending the opening session of the annual National People's Congress in the Great Hall of the People on March 5, 2013 in Beijing, China. Called the "Monk CEO", Yongxin, who holds an MBA, was criticized for turning the revered monastery into a commercial venture. Not only has the monastery become a tourist destination; the Shaolin “brand” owns properties worldwide. Shaolin is currently building a huge luxury hotel complex called "Shaolin Village" in Australia.

Yongxin has been accused of financial and sexual misconduct, but so far investigations have exonerated him.

Shaolin monks and Kung Fu practice

There is archaeological evidence that martial arts have been practiced in Shaolin since at least the seventh century.

Although Shaolin monks did not invent kung fu, they are rightly known for a particular style of kung fu. (See "A Guide to the History and Style of Shaolin Kung Fu"). Basic skills begin with developing endurance, flexibility and balance. Monks are taught to bring meditative concentration into their movements.

Prepare for a morning ceremony

The morning arrives early in the monasteries. The monks start their day before dawn.

Shaolin martial arts monks are said to exercise little in the way of Buddhism. However, at least one photographer registered religious observances in the monastery.

During the cultural revolution, which began in 1966, the few monks who still lived in the monastery were chained, whipped publicly and paraded on the streets, wearing signs that declared their "crimes". The buildings were "cleaned" of Buddhist books and art and were abandoned. Now, thanks to the generosity of martial arts schools and organizations, the monastery is being restored.

Shaolin was called for the nearby Mount Shaoshi, one of the 36 peaks of Mount Songshan. Songshan is one of the five sacred mountains of China, revered from ancient times. Bodhidharma, the legendary founder of Zen, was said to have meditated in a cave in the mountain for nine years. The monastery and mountain are located in Henan province in north-central China.

Star of the London Stage
Shaolin monks perform in Australia

Shaolin is going global. Together with its world tours, the monastery is opening martial arts schools in places far from China. Shaolin also organized a traveling group of monks who perform for an audience around the world.

Photography is a scene from Sutra, a play by the Belgian choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui that presents real Shaolin monks in a dance / acrobatic performance. A reviewer from The Guardian (UK) called the piece "powerful and poetic".

Tourists at the Shaolin temple

Shaolin monastery is a popular attraction for martial artists and martial arts enthusiasts.

In 2007, Shaolin was the driving force behind a local government plan to float shares of tourist goods. The monastery's business ventures include television and film productions.

The ancient pagoda forest of Shaolin temple

The pagoda forest is located about a third of a mile (or half a kilometer) from the Shaolin temple. The forest contains more than 240 stone pagodas, built in memory of particularly revered monks and abbots of the temple. The oldest pagodas date back to the XNUMXth century, during the Tang dynasty.

A monk's room in the Shaolin temple

The warrior monks of Shaolin are still Buddhist monks and are expected to spend part of their time studying and participating in the ceremonies.