Characteristics of Kongfu
I. Characteristics of Kongfu strokes
Shaolin Kongfu has its unique feature and style as a school of martial arts. After the introduction into general public, Shaolin Kongfu had combined with local Kongfu art and formed different schools and sects such as Northern School in the north and Southern School in the south. Each school and sect have distinctive features and Shaolin kongfu has experienced dramatic evolutions. Today’s boxing and club playing formulas differ greatly from Shaolin boxing and club playing formulas recorded in Illustration of Shaolin Club Playing Methods of Chen Zongyu of Ming Dynasty and Necessary Skills of Boxing of Zhang Kongzhao of Qing Dynasty. Today’s Shaolin Kongfu routines are in particular significantly from the original art aimed at fight. The features of traditional Shaolin Kongfu spread nearby Shaolin temple have been summarized as followings.
1. Short and concise
Shaolin Kongfu strokes are short and concise with one set of strokes mostly comprising of less than 36 groups of strokes. Short strokes and concise structure of Shaolin Kongfu aim to help the player to concentrate all his strength to play Kongfu.
2. Playing boxing strokes on one line
All the strokes including rise, drop, forward, backward, dodging and stretching out are all completed in one line. The player fix his body movement to one line just like a tiger going out of the cage. The linear movement is easier for the player to move forward and backward (speed matters most in the battlefield).
3. Casual footwork For military use, the footwork of Shaolin Kongfu is highly casual. Broad footwork is forbidden and body is lowered while attacking and lifted while defending so that all the strength could be concentrated to deliver the maximum attack. The most important feature of Shaolin Kongfu could be summarized as playing boxing in a lying cow’s place. The players could move flexibly regardless the size of the ground. Their strokes are suitably controlled so that maximum energy could be exerted.
4. Roll-out and roll-in
Roll-in and roll-out apply to both body and hand actions. In terms of body actions, the player faces straightly forward in attack and moves horizontally. In defense, the player moves slantly backward and forward. The principle is that the attack target is usually linear rather than in plane and the rolling actions minimize the ground area and are good for defense. In terms of rolling actions of hand, Shaolin boxing is distinctive of yin and yang strokes, corresponding to roll-in and roll-out strokes respectively. This way of striking could have stronger attacks and help to protect the attacker from being harmed. While attacking, hands roll out and roll in like a rig, which is called Qiaoli. In battlefield, Zhan method is more important, for the use of palm and boxing is useless when one is fall into the enemy’s hand. The flexibility of hand strokes help the players protect themselves.
5. Spirit in form
Each stroke and move of Shaolin Kongfu contains profound strategy and tactic. Strategically, the player shall not belittle the opponent and in terms of tactics, feinting and attacking are both used, and the player usually makes a feint to the left but attacks in the right. Weakness of the opponent is utilized so that the player could attack with minimum efforts to achieve better effects. Each move and stroke is specially designed to achieve specific effects.
6. Strokes between the curve and the straight
Strokes of Shaolin Kongfu have the difference of Lao and Nen. Lao stroke is too much and Nen stroke is insufficient. The strength of strokes influences the attacking effects. Hence, in order to make up defects of Lao and Nen, the strokes between the curve and the straight have been used so that when the player bends himself in a defense position, he is ready to attack and when he stands upright in attacking position, he is actually in defense. Lao stroke is like an arrow at the end of its fight and Nen stroke results in restriction of force in diaphragm. Hence, neither Lao nor Nen strokes could be effective enough to defeat the opponent.
7. Start with watching enemy’s eyes and lower body to attack
Shaolin Kongfu player starts with attacking stroke and ends with defending position. Attacking and defending boxing strokes are integrated and indispensible from one another, which has two layers of meanings. First of all, the player starts with the action of looking into the enemy’s eyes to observe the enemy. With eyes being window of soul, the enemy’s intention coulb be learnt by looking into his eyes. Hence, eye action goes first in fight to learn the enemy’s intention and to choose the right place for attack. This is the reason for starting at higher position. The player bends himself, ready to attack at the beginning of the fight, for it could make him closer to the opponent and help him protect himself better. Secondly, at the end of a fight, the defendor looks into the sky while the attacker into the earth. At the beginning of an attack, the attacker shall observe the opponent’s feet, for one moves his feet to attack. Hence, the enemy’s footwork indicates his movements and one could protect himself well if the enemy’s footwork is closely observed.
8. Zen and boxing in one
Shaolin Kongfu players have three levels. The beginners learn the surface and strokes of Shaolin Kongfu and focus on exercising of their body. The medium player combines Zen with Kongfu, shows no rules of strokes but successfully attacks the opponent. The highest level of practicing Shaolin Kongfu resides in the use of mind to guide all strokes. This is where the fight of mind rather than the fight of shape comes from. The player practices Zen by Kongfu and learns the rules of Kongfu by practicing Zen. In this way, Zen and Kongfu are integrated, which is the most important feature of Shaolin Kongfu.
9. Attack and defense in one
In terms of strokes, there is no defense and attack in absolute term; defense and attack are integrated and the difference resides in which one takes larger margin. While attacking, defense plays fewer roles and in defense, attack is less significant.
10. Numerous narrow finger actions
With over 1500 year’s development, the structure of Shaolin Kongfu is concise and tight with each stroke containing narrow finger actions. The narrow finger actions such as picking up, catching, closing and mixing are of high significance for they are quintessence of Shaolin Kongfu. It is the narrow finger actions which have perfected Shaolin Kongfu and made it unbeatable.
11. Plain style
The frugal living style of monks of Shaolin temple has been incorporated into Shaolin Kongfu. The functions of Shaolin Kongfu including practicing Zen, body building and protection for oneself and Shaolin temple are of high practical use. Each stroke, thought or even narrow finger action is designed for this purpose. There is no brag but plain style.
12. Strength and power
Among a great many martial art sects in China, Shaolin Kongfu is referred to as Wai sect. Shaolin Kongfu goes from outside to inside, from dynamic to static and from rigid to gentle, which is opposite to the Nei sect. Hence, Shaolin Kongfu develops its unique style of having strength and being powerful. According to Qisixiao tips, hair, fingernail, tooth and tongue represents blood, tendon, bone and flesh respectively. Hence, the players are required to practise to achieve the effects that their hand stands upright when they are in rage, their fingernails are fierce enough to hit the bone, their teeth hard enough to break gold and their tongue strong enough to go through teeth. Hence, the joint effects of the Sixiao could enhance the attacking force.
II. Cultural properties Distinctive features of traditional Chinese culture
Shaolin Kongfu derives from traditional Chinese culture which has nurtured, developed and enriched Shaolin Kongfu. Shaolin Kongfu has employed the theory form Chinese philosophy, fighting techniques from Chinese military strategies, Qigong from traditional Chinese medicine and health preservation method, and Shaolin Kongfu performance from marital art dancing in ancient China. In addition, Shaolin Kongfu has been influence by Zen by emphasizing the combination of Zen and Kongfu. Moreover, Shaolin Kongfu players are required to integrate mind, qi, strength and stroke. This integration rule is manifestation of the concept of integration of man and nature.
Reproduction and true representation of defense and attack
With Shaolin Kongfu developed in fight, its strokes are designed to serve the purposes of attack and defence. The nature of reproduction of attack and defense means Shaolin Kongfu manifests the fighting value of the player and exerts the effects of defense and attack in practice. Hence, strokes of Shaolin Kongfu such as boxing, single blade and long club could all defeat the opponents. All present Shaolin Kongfu including boxing, weapon and qigong could demonstrate the practical value of Shaolin Kongfu.
Diverse and unified movement
Shaolin Kongfu is well known for its rich content, profound significance and diverse movement forms. Each group of strokes has its own form and style. There are several dozens weapons in Shaolin Kongfu and more than a hundred boxing techniques. Each weapon and boxing technique are different in practicing method, basic stroke, content, property and performance style. However, they are closely related and unified as a whole.
Property of overall unity Shaolin Kongfu has been developed on the basis of traditional Chinese culture and Buddhist culture. It takes overall unity as its doctrine and governing rule. It upholds that the internal mind, qi, strength and shape are inseparable from human body and they are integrated as a whole. Human movement shall be unified with natural changes. In terms of Shaolin Kongfu tactics, liuhe (six harmonies) shall be observed, including the integration of mind and heart, of mind and qi, of qi and strength, of hand and foot, of elbow and knee and of shoulder and waist. In terms of practicing rules, the external and the internal shall be combined. In terms of practicing effects, the player shall be soft inside despite one's hard shell.