History of Chinese
fighting art
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Shuai-Jiao (Ancient Chinese Wrestling)
Chinese martial arts started long before history was recorded in the region. Shuai-Jiao (摔角Chinese wrestling) is the forefather of all Chinese fighting systems. The earliest record of Shuai-Jiao is 2697 B.C. The Emperor’s army was trained in this art, where by combatants wore horned helmets and locked horns like two bulls would when grappling with each other. This era was known as the Jiao-Psy period, which literally translates as body and iron contact. The primitive Chinese fighting arts’ systems are called Jiao-Lic (角力strength competition), these arts were gradually systemised during the Chow dynasty (1122-256 B.C), the systems included throwing (摔Shuai), striking (打Da) and joint manipulation (擒拿Chin Na) techniques, it shows that Chinese wrestling of the era was not simply a grappling art, as it included striking and pressure point joint manipulation. This system was tried and tested in both wars and every day society and shown to work. This is the root of the Chinese fighting arts of today.
In 221-207 B.C. Shuai-Jiao was seen in the royal courts as entertainment, as during this period there was a relative peace. In this era Shuai-Jiao was practised for either competitive bouts or for self-defence in which both strength and speed were emphasised. The Chinese fighting arts spread with China’s growing dominance of the region over the centuries. The name of the art changed to reflect the local languages but we can see them today, for example the Japanese call it Sumo, the Korean call it Shilum and in Mongolia they call it Boke. These techniques influenced Eastern Europe, India, Siberia and the countries along the Silk Road. Shuai-Jiao has been in use for over 4000 years, Shuai-Jiao practitioners were bodyguards to the Emperors as well as in the military. Today Shuai-Jiao is part of San Shou (Free style Kung Fu) and Chinese Military and Police training program.
The development of Chinese Fighting Art
With the dangers of the wild, as well as tribal warfare and indeed individual human struggle, fighting strategies were formulated. From these experiences of combat, fighting techniques were accumulated. Also from the creation of primitive weapons, i.e. wooden, stone etc to metal weapons as technology progressed, methods of armed combat lead to the development of more sophisticated weapons. This in turn caused the combat techniques to become more sophisticated in a classic Darwinian fashion. Through this form of progress various schools of martial arts evolved. A few of these schools of martial thought discovered that if they copy the survival techniques and spirit of land mammals (Tiger, Monkey, Snake, Bear etc) and Birds (Eagle, Crane etc) and insects (Praying Mantis), they too could survive. The logic being that the animal can survive in tough environments, which are bound by the natural laws of survival of the fittest. This is not simply copying the movement, but also the spirit behind the Tigers pounce or the grip of the Eagles talons or even the beating of the wings of a Crane.
Shao Lin Temple
Due to the fact that Chinese fighting strategies and techniques started in ancient China and continued to evolve through the centuries they became an integral part of Chinese culture. The philosophies of WuJi (No Limit) and TaiJi (Extreme Limit) found their way into Chinese martial arts culture and at the same time the Bagua (8 Trigram) concepts of strategy and technique were introduced into the martial arts.
58-76 A.D Buddhism passed to China from India. Many Emperors followed Buddhism and during next few hundred years the religion became common and respected in China. Around 500 A.D China had around ten thousand Buddhist temples. During this period there was much exchange from Chinese monks who went to India and Indian monks who travelled to China to develop the Chinese understanding of Buddism. According to Chinese Buddhist records during
464 A.D the first Indian monk by the name of Batuo came to China to teach the Buddhist Dharma Buddhism. 475-500 A.D the Emperor built a temple known as Shao Lin for him to continue his teaching. We take from this that Batuo was the first Abbot of the Shao Lin. There is no record of how his teachings were passed on or even how he died. Bodhidarma ( Da Mo ) is a famous Zen Buddhist; born around 483 A.D in India, his original surname was Sardili. He was a Prince of a Hindustani (Modern Indian Subcontinent) province. 527 A.D the Emperor of China (Liang Wu Dynasty 502-550 A.D) invited him to China to give Buddhist seminar. The Emperor however, was not pleased with Bodhidarma’s version of Buddhism. Da Mo decided to go to the Shao Lin temple to preach Zen Buddhism.
During his time at the temple he found that the monks were often ill, and were unable to meditate for long periods of time. He retreated into the mountains for nine years in order to develop a way to pass on his teachings to his new acolytes. After these nine years he produced two Sutras, These are Yi Jin Jing (Muscle/tendon development - External body strength work out) and Xi-Sui Jing (Marrow/Brain development - Internal mental/spiritual work out).
Yi Jin Jing taught the monks how to improve their health, changing their bodies from weak to strong. These techniques were later incorporated into martial formats, which increased the fighting abilities of the monks dramatically, as they became much fitter than before. During this time Chinese fighting arts split into two main systems - Internal (breathing Methods) and External (muscle and ligament training). This new era saw the birth of Chi Kung (Breathing Exercise) which after thousands of years of martial evolution this development was the last part in the completion of Chinese martial arts seen today.
Xi Sui Jing taught the monks how to cleanse their tendons and improve their immune system. This also taught them how to cultivate their mind, thus developing wisdom. As Xi Sui Jing is difficult to understand and learn, there are only a limited number of students who ever mastered this in each generation.
During the Tung Dynasty (618-903 A.D), due to the wealth of the temple a group of the monks within it had to learn martial arts in order to protect the temple. For almost 300 years the Shao Lin had their own fighting system, but also absorbed fighting systems and training methods from outside the temple. During the Sung Dynasty (960-1278 A.D) the Shao Lin training techniques were grouped into five animal systems, they called this Wu Qin Xi.
The Five Animal System 五禽戏
The five animals consisted of Dragon, Tiger, Snake, Leopard and Crane.
1) The Dragons spirit – refers to the mental power and focus developed through this training.
Style – Meditation & Chi Kung internal fitness development.
2) The Tigers spirit – refers to the development of external physical power i.e. bones and ligaments. It also develops for五禽戏titude involves joint manipulation, wrestling (includes striking on the ground) techniques.
Style - 18 throw system (including ground strikes technique), Eagle Claw Ching Na, 72 Ching Na etc.
3) The Snakes spirit – refers to the fluid dynamism development, this is split into two areas. The first into the internal ligament flexibility and the second into external stamina.
Style - Ba Duan Jin, Se Duan Jin, TaiJi, Ba Gua and Hsing-I etc.
4) The Leopards spirit – refers to the development of patients and external muscle development, speed training, and kicking reaction.
Style – Northern Kick, Whip Kick &12 Tan Tui (flipping Kick) etc.
5) The Cranes spirit – refers to the development of control, sharp footwork with punching, knees and elbow combat techniques.
Style – Chang Chuan (Southern and Northern Long Fist), Liu he Chuan, Lo Han Chuan (Shao Lin Chuan), Tay Xien Chuan & Tong Bei Chuan etc.
During the Yuan Dynasty (1312 A.D. The dynasty ruled by Mongols ), a Japanese monk called Da Zhi came to the Shao Lin temple and learned the art of fighting during his13-years stay, he returned to Japan and passed on his skills. In 1335 A.D another Japanese monk called Shao Gan came to the Shao Lin temple and studied Calligraphy, painting, Zen, Buddhism and the Shao Lin fighting art. In 1347 A.D on his returned to Japan, the country revered him as a religion spiritual leader. This shows that the Shao Lin system was exported to Japan at least 700 years ago, today you still can find the Shao Lin temple in Japan as well known as Japan Sho rin Ji. 1206 -1337 A.D a Shao Lin acolyte by the name of Jang San Feng left the Shao Lin temple and moved to the Wu Dang mountain and created new system known today as TaiJi Chuan. This system emphasises on dissipating large forces and internal strength. Jang San Feng was inspired after watching a Crane and a Snake fighting each other, the system is based on the five elements, metal, wood, water, fire and earth.
1644 -1911 A.D the Ching Dynasty (Dynasty of Manchurian) prohibited the practice of martial arts as a form of civil control. During this period the Shao Lin arts were practiced in secret and the number of students much reduced to keep it so. After 1911 and the disillusionment of the Ching Dynasty, Chinese martial arts once again came to the forefront as the ban no longer existed. Many martial arts books and magazines were published around this time to reflect this new found liberation, in this period China was in the midst of a civil war. During a battle in 1928 the Shao Lin temple was burned to the ground, a lot of priceless martial books were lost in the fire. In order to retain the martial knowledge the President of the new fragile Union Jiang Kai Chek formed a Chinese fighting arts school called National Fighting Arts School, short name Gou shu guan. This school attracted the patronage of many famous Masters as well as students of that era. For the first time in Chinese martial history with the blessing of the government, all the various
schools sat and exchanged ideas and philosophies. In1937 world war two began in China, which put a halt to these activities. In 1949 the Communist Party took over the country and as part of the principles of communism banned all forms of religion and thus shut down the Shao Lin temple. This remained the case until the late 1980s were the communist government recognised the importance of retaining the art as many of the masters had died of fled the country, in affect the rich martial history was being lost thus they encouraged the development of martial arts at the site of the Shao Lin. The Shao Lin temple was rebuilt and has become a major tourist attraction, there are many schools and training programs available, up to 50 thousand students all over the world can be training in and around the area where the Shao Lin temple stands. The Chinese government commissioned the rediscovery of the Chinese martial arts, unfortunately during the Cultural Revolution in 1966 to 1976 many masters were killed or imprisoned, a lot of masters left China due to this most of whom fled to South East Asian countries. These masters passed on their teachings to students in these countries and this is the reason why you will still find many ancient martial styles in the region. Due to modern lifestyles the new generation of potential students have been unable to fully learn the arts with the same vigour as their predecessors. During the 1980s San Shou (Free style Kung Fu) became the new form of Chinese fighting art which combined striking & throwing techniques, this style of martial arts will be more effective in the future when the practitioner can also use their knee & elbow instinctively.
Today many Chinese martial arts schools either focus on only internal (Chi Kung) or only external (San Shou) training methods. It is very rare to find a school that teaches both internal and external methods in equal proportion. Due to this Chinese martial arts is at its lowest level in its history, the skills and training methods developed over thousands of years is in the process of being lost gradually.
