Long Fist

Sifu Perform Long Fist

Northern Shaolin Kung Fu is an external style directly descended from the system taught at the Shaolin Temple. The temple, located on Mt. Songshan at Dengfeng in Henan Province, was originally built for the Indian Buddhist monk Ba Tuo by Emperor Wen Di of the Liu Song period in 495. The history of Shaolin kung fu begins later, in 527, with the arrival of the Indian monk Bodhidharma (Ta-Mo in Chinese). Ta-Mo, the twenty-eight Buddhist patriarch, noticed upon his arrival that many monks displayed symptoms of improper nutrition and lack of exercise, and thus could not concentrate properly during meditation. Ta-Mo reasoned that a healthy body lead to a healthy mind and ultimately to the full development of Qi, or one's vital energy.

Retreating, Ta-Mo meditated for nine straight years in a cave on Wu Ru peak behind the temple. When he emerged, he had devised an exercise regimen (among other things) that he taught to the monks, the Lohan shi bas hou (18 hand methods of the Lohan). These excercises would become the basis of the Shaolin boxing style. As Shaolin's reputation grew, martial artists would travel great distances to this temple to become monks. Each would bring his unique martial skills with him. Additionally, generals and other warriors would retire to the temple as monks, and brought their styles and expertise with them. The Shaolin system thus became a dynamic system that was always evolving.

Shaolin, meaning young forest, has historically and culturally been regarded as the greatest Chinese temple boxing style. This style developed as a branch of the original Shaolin teaching. It shares its name with the temple to pay respect and homage to its origin. As a style, it is no longer taught at the shaolin temple today. This shaolin style's popularity is due in part to the famous master Ku Yu Cheung (1894-1962). He was one of the top ten champions in the first national martial arts examination by the Guoshu institute of Nanjing in 1929. Traveling south with four other renown masters, Ku Yu Cheung came to Canton city to teach his art.

Long Fist

Institute of Chinese Martial Arts