Kung Fu
Kung Fu is really a generic term for martial arts in China, but Shaolin monks are the style’s most famous practitioners. Over time their teachings would not be confided by the walls of their monastery, and their method of hand-to-hand combat would go to inspire hundreds of other forms. Like many forms of martial arts Kung Fu started out as a practical form of self defense, but over time it would chance and not for the better.
Most of the information people have about Shaolin monks come from works of fiction that have distorted the truth. Martial arts existed in China before the monks, and they weren’t invincible. Developed from exercises the original form of Shaolin Kung Fu was a solid combat effective martial art that stressed quickness and brute force, and utilized common weapons. Soon many styles would develop with the best know styles adopting the names of the animals they mimic. Monkey style Kung Fu was created after watching monkeys go from relative calm to a rampaging attack in seconds. Dog boxing style has a practitioner acting like a dog until they are ready to strike. Tiger claw style has a practitioner enter combat aggressively, and has claw like strikes.
In the 20th century, the monks survived both the Chinese civil war and the invading Japanese, but when the communists seized control things would change forever. The communists persecuted the monks and made Wushu the official form of Kung Fu. The new form of Kung Fu is completely devoid of any spiritual aspects, and in China Maoist teachings are part of the training. While martial artists like Jet Li make Wushu look impressive you have to keep in mind that it is all about flash and show, and doesn’t work for self defense in the real world.
You can still travel to China and see traditional Kung Fu performed at temples or at government sponsored events, but the temples show the real deal. Despite being officially outlawed the monks continue to teach real Kung Fu for self defense. Though some monks have escaped communist China few outside of the monastery practice true Shaolin Kung Fu. Go beyond the Bruce Lee and other films and learn about an art that was once great. Sadly, like many martial arts Kung Fu isn’t what it once was, but perhaps some dedicated students and teachers can bring it back.
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I like your article on Kung-Fu. I am a Sifu in Authentic “Bak Sil-Lum” Kung-Fu and Praying Mantis Kung-Fu. I was lucky that my teacher was trained in Hong Kong in the traditional fighting way. Every technique in a form is drilled as for application… If it does not work effeciently, we discard it from our self-defense training. I have been to China, yes to the Shaolin Temple too. I was in a team of the 1st non-Chinese to train in the Shaolin Training Centre. I saw a lot of contemporary Wushu, but also got some real Shaolin. I performed some of my Bak Sil Lum forms and the monk asked me which monk taught me this. He said that is real Shaolin Chuan Shu. It is sad that Kung-Fu is not taught as it was intended, as a fighting art. Most Kung-Fu practitioners are dancers, not true martial artists. My schools teach traditioanl Kung-Fu, JKD and Krav Maga. Yes, we do Kickboxing as a fitness exercise for mothers who don’t want the real deal.