Enter the holy land of Chinese martial arts cradle…
Shaolin Temple Origins
— Head Coach Dato Fang Zaiqin DSPN, DJN, AMN, AMP, PJK, PJM
Almost everyone involved in Chinese martial arts is familiar with Shaolin Temple and Bodhidharma. However, there are numerous different legends and debates regarding this name, this person, and his deeds. This article objectively summarizes the relevant historical records and the opinions of commentators, offering a brief overview of the vicissitudes of Shaolin Temple, Bodhidharma’s Zen teachings, the rise and fall of Shaolin boxing, and its contributions and influence on the defense of the nation and the health of later generations.
Shaolin Temple Location and Construction
Shaolin Temple is located on Mount Song in Dengfeng County, Henan Province, China. The geographical features of Mount Song are extensively described in the Records of the Grand Historian. According to the Records of the Western Expedition of Emperor Yan, the eastern part of the mountain is called Taishi, and the western part is called Shaoshi, with a distance of seventeen li. “Song” is the general name for the temple. The Yuan He Zhi states: “Shaoshi Mountain is sixteen li high, thirty li in circumference, and has thirty-six peaks.” Shaolin Temple was built at the northern foot of the Five Ru Peaks.
As for when and by whom Shaolin Temple was founded, relevant historical texts such as the Wei Shu Shi Lao Zhi, the Fei Huai Stele, the Jingde Chuandeng Lu, and the Taiping Huanyu Ji all record that Shaolin Temple was built by Emperor Xiaowen of the Later Wei Dynasty for the Indian monk Batuo. Because Batuo was a profound Buddhist practitioner, he was revered by Emperor Xiaowen. Batuo, who favored seclusion and frequently visited Dangshan, frequently visited the mountain. In the 19th year of the Taihe reign (495 AD), Emperor Xiaowen established Shaolin Temple on Shaoshi Mountain to provide accommodation and food. According to the Ciyuan (Etymology), there is another legend regarding the founding date of Shaolin Temple, but this lacks strong evidence, so I will not cite it. The former version is supported by the official record Qing Yitong Zhi.
The Arrival of Zen Master Bodhidharma
Bodhidharma was the son of a local king in South India. His surname was Kshatriya and his given name was Bodhidharma. The dates of his birth and death are unknown, but can only be inferred from the years surrounding his arrival.
There are varying accounts of the year Bodhidharma arrived in China. According to Gu Guang’s “Records of Guangxiao Temple,” he arrived from India in 527 AD and stopped at Helin (which is Guangxiao Temple). The inscription on the Luohan Hall stele at Hualin Temple by Luo Wenjun of the Qing Dynasty states that in 527 AD, Bodhidharma sailed across the sea and landed in the southwest of Guangdong. Modern Chinese scholar Yang Rongguo, in his edited book “A Concise History of Chinese Philosophy,” states that Bodhidharma, a member of the One Vehicle School of South India, arrived in China from Guangzhou in 520 AD, during the reign of Emperor Wu of Liang. Although these accounts differ, the difference is within a few years. It is said that upon his arrival in Guangzhou, Bodhidharma first built a hermitage at Xilaichudi and then took up residence at Guangxiao Temple the following year. The governor of Guangzhou, Zongbao Xiaoang, was also a Buddhist believer in Mahayana sutras. Upon hearing Bodhidharma’s name, he visited Guangxiao Temple. He later reported this to Emperor Wu of Liang, who dispatched envoys to Guangzhou to welcome Bodhidharma to the capital for an audience. However, the Buddhist sutras Bodhidharma preached failed to impress Emperor Wu of Liang, and he was ignored. Bodhidharma then crossed the Yangtze River to the Shaolin Temple in Songshan. Legend has it that he crossed the river on a reed. Later generations have fabricated various legends based on this, some claiming it was due to Buddhist teachings, others to the practice of light kung fu. Buddhists advocate the former, while martial artists favor the latter.
Also, during the reign of Emperor Wu of Liang, Bodhidharma arrived in China by sea. Unable to align with the Southern Dynasty’s emphasis on Confucianism, he traveled north to spread his Zen teachings. Consequently, Buddhism in the Southern Dynasty emphasized Confucianism (teaching of principles), while in the Northern Dynasty it emphasized Zen (sitting in meditation), leading to the establishment of Zen Buddhism in the north.
Zen Buddhism and Shaolin Kung Fu
According to the Qing Yitong Zhi (Records of the Qing Dynasty), after arriving at Dangshan, Bodhidharma spent nine years facing a wall in Shaolin Temple, renounced all contact with the outside world, and practiced deep meditation. Some say Bodhidharma is revered as the founder of Shaolin martial arts because of his Yijinjing (Easy Tendon Sutra), which practitioners revere, while others claim it was due to the Buddhist scriptures that enlightened Bodhidharma. In other words, his Yijinjing (Easy Tendon Sutra) has been interpreted as a new reformist within the Mahayana school. What was his new reformism? Since he left no complete Buddhist writings, it’s difficult to provide a comprehensive overview.
It is undeniable that after arriving in Luoyang, Bodhidharma brought Northern Dynasty Zen to a more advanced stage. He practiced the Mahayana method of emptiness and emptiness, known as wall contemplation. This means extinguishing all external distractions, remaining calm within, and having a mind like a wall, one can enter the path of enlightenment. In other words, the meaning of Zen is to clear the mind and contemplate, to enter a state of meditation, to eliminate all distractions, and to focus on the pursuit of liberation. The purpose of Zen is to realize the true nature of the mind and that all things are empty. Therefore, Bodhidharma became the founder of Zen. Bodhidharma gradually simplified the Zen method until it eventually became the Chinese version of Zen. Zen is a major school of thought in the history of Chinese Buddhism and a school unique to China. In contrast, in Indian Buddhism, meditation was considered a method of religious cultivation, without the name Zen. After Bodhidharma’s death, Zen Buddhism flourished after the Fifth Patriarch, Hongren. After Hongren, Zen Buddhism split into the Southern and Northern schools, with Shenxiu as the Sixth Patriarch of the Northern School and Huineng as the Sixth Patriarch of the Southern School. Later, the Southern School gained power and assumed the status of the orthodox Zen school. The teachings of Zen Buddhism had a significant influence on the School of Mind of Tao Jiuyuan and Wang Shouren in the Neo-Confucianism of the Song and Ming Dynasties.
Returning to the topic, regarding the origins of Shaolin Kung Fu, according to popular legend, after Bodhidharma arrived at Shaolin Temple, he noticed that the existing monks were frail, thin, and listless. Whenever he sat down to preach, some would become drowsy and listless. Bodhidharma instructed the monks, “Although the Dharma is external to the body, without understanding this true nature, one cannot separate the soul from the body. Therefore, to realize the true nature, one must first strengthen the body.” Therefore, every morning at dawn, Bodhidharma would teach the monks his Yi Jin Jing (The Tendon-Bending Sutra), instructing them in physical training. This theory is relatively reliable and reasonable, as Bodhidharma was an ascetic monk. Therefore, the widely accepted legend that the Yi Jin Jing was written by Bodhidharma and brought to Shaolin is a well-established one. Furthermore, Bodhidharma integrated Indian yoga techniques with the basic, instinctive fighting techniques of the Chinese people to create a unique set of exercises for strengthening the body. He also refined the essentials and refined the essentials, creating the Luohan Kung Fu. It is said that Luohan Fist was developed based on the forms of the eighteen Luohan statues, a self-defense technique for warding off theft and beasts. In fact, before Bodhidharma arrived at Shaolin Temple, there were already martial arts masters among the monks who had disillusioned with the mundane world and renounced worldly life. This is because Chinese martial arts are recorded in the battle histories of the Zhou and Qin dynasties. By the time Shaolin Temple was first established in 495 AD, nestled deep in the mountains and dense forests, the monks were driven to diligently practice martial arts to protect themselves from wild beasts and thieves, as well as to maintain their health and protect the temple.
In fact, to further explore the origins of Chinese martial arts, we must trace them back to the history of the Chinese people’s struggles and development. Fighting techniques undoubtedly stemmed from primitive human instincts for foraging, survival, and self-defense against the challenges of nature, gradually developing into primal fighting techniques. Coupled with the strategic and tactical skills that emerged from later warfare, combat techniques were later included in the legacy of military strategists, both in China and abroad. Chinese military tactics were already quite advanced as early as the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period.
The Rise and Fall of Chinese Martial Arts
The successive development and vicissitudes of Chinese martial arts are simply a long history of blood and tears. If one wishes to make a reasonable exploration of the origins of unarmed combat, the origins of martial arts are as ancient as the history of primitive human struggle.
The rise and fall of Shaolin Temple are briefly recorded in popular books and martial arts novels. While many of these accounts are fabricated, some are based on historical facts. During the Tang Dynasty (61890-7 AD), Shaolin Temple flourished. The number of monks increased dramatically, and their martial arts became famous in the Central Plains. It is said that in the early Tang Dynasty, the monks assisted the imperial court in suppressing the rebellion of Wang Shichong. This theory can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty.
This is documented in the Tang Pei Shaolin Temple Stele. Before the Tang Dynasty, Shaolin Temple experienced several periods of prosperity and decline. It wasn’t until the early Tang Dynasty that the monks’ martial arts prowess catapulted Shaolin boxing to national fame. From the late Tang Dynasty through the Song Dynasty, Shaolin Temple’s fame grew even greater. The period from the Song Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty can be considered the golden age of Shaolin boxing. During this long period, Shaolin boxing became considered China’s national art. During the Yuan Dynasty, due to foreign rule, Han Chinese national sentiments surged, leading to the widespread popularity of boxing. It’s said that numerous patriots skilled in boxing and embracing anti-Yuan and restorationist ideals posed a threat to the Yuan rulers, leading to a ban on martial arts. Historical documents indicate that during the Qing Dynasty, the imperial court imposed numerous restrictions on martial arts to consolidate its rule and prevent Han Chinese rebellion. However, many warriors shared the same aspirations to resist the Qing and restore the Ming Dynasty, leading to numerous heroic and poignant stories that have been passed down through the people. During the Qianlong reign, there were also legends of the burning of Shaolin Temples, and many Shaolin temples in various provinces were burned down. This further aroused the indignation and discontent of martial artists, and stories of small-scale revolutionary struggles led by warriors continued to be reported.
In later Chinese history, boxing became a motivating force for peasant rebellions against rulers (i.e., peasant uprisings). In 1900, the world-shaking Boxer Rebellion occurred. Chinese secret societies, including the Big Sword Society and the Red Spear Society, united to form the Boxers and rose up to resist imperialist aggression. Empress Dowager Cixi, who initially supported and utilized the power of the boxers, later feared imperialist forces and compromised with foreign powers, even betraying the boxers. This betrayal became another major disaster for Shaolin boxing in China. After the Boxer Rebellion, the Qing government implemented a decree to eradicate boxing techniques, closing martial arts schools and executing boxing instructors in an attempt to completely eliminate the art. In short, the rise and fall of Chinese martial arts is a history of blood and tears.
The evolution of Chinese martial arts and the emergence of numerous schools, according to research, began in the late Ming Dynasty and flourished during the Qing Dynasty. Just as schools of thought in Chinese literary history began in the Tang Dynasty and continued through the Song and Ming Dynasties, the divisions within martial arts, in addition to their political significance, are also a normal phenomenon. Shaolin and Wudang are two distinct schools. Shaolin’s founder is Zen Master Bodhidharma, while Wudang’s founder is said to be Zhang Sanfeng, the Master of the Mysterious Caverns. Shaolin focuses on external gong, while Wudang focuses on internal gong. In reality, martial arts do not distinguish between internal and external. Shaolin boxing, originating from the tranquility of Zen meditation, is a form of spiritual decline, complementing the postures of boxing, transforming stillness into movement, yin into yang, and combining hardness and softness to promote enlightenment. Wudang, reborn from Shaolin by Zhang Sanfeng, inherited the inner Qigong techniques that were passed down to Taoism. They emphasize stillness to control movement, the principles of breathing, and expelling the old and inhaling the new. Although distinct, they share a common origin with Shaolin.
The Contribution of Martial Arts to National Defense and Physical Fitness
For individuals, Chinese martial arts are a means of self-cultivation and physical fitness. For society as a whole, they serve as a means of chivalry and justice. For the nation, martial arts serve a fundamental function in safeguarding sovereignty and human rights. Martial arts, honed through countless trials and tribulations by our ancestors through wisdom, dedication, hard work, experience, and time, have been passed down through generations and have become a part of Chinese culture. Due to historical changes, the Chinese migrated southward, overcoming obstacles and difficulties to Southeast Asia, bringing Chinese martial arts with them to Malaysia. As martial arts practitioners, we have a responsibility to promote and enhance these martial arts, making them an integral part of Malaysian martial arts, thereby blending diverse ethnic cultures to create a vibrant new Malaysian culture and, in a small way, contributing to the physical fitness of our people.
Note: References for this article are drawn from the following books:
1) Firsthand Accounts of Bodhidharma’s Coming to the East – compiled by Gu Jifen
2) A Study of Shaolin and Wudang – compiled by Tang Hao
3) A Brief History of China – written by Fan Wenlan
4) A Concise History of Chinese Philosophy – edited by Yang Rongguo
走入中國武術揺籃的聖地…
少林寺淵源簡介
— 總教練拿督方再欽DSPN, DJN, AMN, AMP, PJK, PJM
幾凡從事中國武術工作者,無有不知少林寺其名,無有不知菩提達摩其人 也。然而對其名其人其事却有諸多不同傳說和争論。本文就此綜合各有關史書記載 和論述者的見解,客觀的加以簡介,并對少林寺的滄桑、菩提達摩的禪宗學說、少 林拳術的盛衰演變和對後人在衛國衛體方面的貢獻及影響,作以簡單扼要的概述。
少林寺所在地和建設
少林寺座落于中國河南省登封縣的嵩山。嵩山的地理形勢在史記中有頗多描 寫,據載延之西征記雲:其山東謂之太室,西謂之少室,相去十七里。嵩,其總名 也。元合志雲:少室山高十六里,周三十里,凡三十六峰。而少林寺即建立于五乳 峰之北麓。
至于少林寺創建于何年代、由誰人創建呢?據有關史籍〈〈魏書釋老志〉〉、 <<斐淮碑>>、<<景德傳燈錄〉〉、〈〈太平寰宇記〉〉等均有記載雲:少林寺是後魏孝文 帝為天竺(印度)沙門跋陀所建。因跋陀道業深,為孝文帝所敬信,而跋陀性愛幽 栖,屢往當岳,孝文帝于太和十九年(公元四九五年)建立少林寺于少室山,以供 居宿和衣食。關于少林寺的創建年代據<<辭源>>又有一傳說,唯其說缺乏有力證 據,故筆者不加引述,而前者之說有官書〈〈清一統志>>可據考證也。
達摩禪師東來
達摩是南天竺一個土王的兒子,姓刹帝利,名達摩。關于達摩生卒的年月則 無從考究,祇可從其東來前後的年月加以推斷之。
達摩到中國來的年份據說不一,據顧光<<光孝寺志>>雲:普通八年(公元五 二七年)達摩來自天竺,止于訶林(訶林即光孝寺)。清人羅文俊華林寺羅漢堂碑 記雲:自蕭梁普通七年達摩泛海,至粤域西南登岸。近代中國學者楊榮國在他主編 的<<簡明中國哲學史>>中有道:南天竺一乘宗達摩,于梁武帝普通元年(公元五二 零年)自廣州入中國傳教。雖道各說有所不同,但相差不過幾年。據說達摩初到廣 州,先在西來初地建庵,次年往光孝寺卓錫。適廣州刺史是宗寶蕭昂,亦是大乘經 典的佛教徒,聞達摩之名便往光孝寺拜訪。後上表奏聞武帝,武帝遂派遣使臣到廣 州迎接達摩往首都謁見梁武帝。然而達摩所說之佛經未能使梁武帝悦服而受冷落。 達摩于是便渡長江到嵩山的少林寺去,達摩相傳是踏着一枝葦葉渡江的。後人據此 附會了種種傳說,有說是佛法,有說是輕功。佛門人士主張前說,武林人士則主張 後說。
又有者說:梁武帝時,達摩從海道來到中國,因不合南朝重義學的學風,而 轉到北方傳播他的禪學。因而佛教在南朝重義學(講義理),在北朝重禪學(坐禪), 隨之造成禪宗後來在北方建立起基礎來。
禪宗學說和少林拳
據<<清一統志>>書雲:達摩來到當山後,曾在少林寺面壁九年,斷絕聲聞, 冥修苦索。達摩之所以被尊稱為少林武術的初祖,有者謂乃因他的易筋經而被習武 者奉之,大有者則是讓摩悟覺的佛經。换言之,他在大果教的易筋經被習 說成了大乘教派中的新改革主義者。他的新改革主義是甚麼呢?他既没有完整的佛 學著作遺留下來,故很難替他作一個概述。
達摩來到洛陽後,把北朝禪學帶進更發達的階段,這是無可否認的事實。達 摩所修的是大乘虛索的禪法,稱為壁觀。意思是外息諸緣,內心無慌,心如墙壁, 可以入道。換句話說,禪的意義是澄心静慮,坐禪入定,絕盡一切妄念,專心求解 脱,以明心見性一切皆空為禪宗的宗旨,達摩故此成了禪的始祖。達摩將禪法逐漸 簡化直至後來才形成中國化的禪宗。禪宗是中國佛教史上的一個大宗派,也是中國 獨有的宗派。反觀在印度佛教裏祇把禪定作為宗教修養的一種方法,而没有用禪宗 命名的。達摩圓寂後,傳至五祖宏忍而禪宗始盛。宏忍以後禪宗分成南北兩派,北 派以神秀為六祖,南派以慧能為六祖。後來南宗勢力轉大,取得禪宗正統地位。禪 宗的教義,對後來宋、明理學中的陶九淵、王守仁的心學一派影響較大。
言歸正題,至于少林拳術的淵源,據一般傳說,達摩到達少林寺卓錫後,因 見原有寺僧體弱身瘦,精神萎靡,每說法入座,寺僧即有昏鈍不振者。達摩禪師乃 訓示寺僧曰:佛法雖外乎軀殼,然不了解此性,終不能先令靈魂與軀殼相離,是欲 見性。必先强身。故每日晨光熹微,達摩師便以所著的易筋經傳授寺僧, 教他們鍛練體格。這一說是比較忠實可靠,合乎情理,蓋因達摩乃一苦行高僧。故 此,易筋經是達摩所著傳之少林,已是衆所接受的傳說了。此外,達摩還把印度瑜 珈術與中國人民本能的基本擊技融匯一體,獨創一套强身健體的運動。同時也去粗 取精,綜合創造一套羅漢拳。據說羅漢拳乃按照十八尊羅漢像的形態加以發展的拳 法,以防盗防獸的自衛術也。其實,達摩師未抵少林寺之前,少林寺僧侣中亦有身 懷武功高人,看破紅塵剃度遁入空門者。蓋因中國之武術早在周、秦朝等戰役史中 已有記載。延至公元495年少林寺初建,寺院位處深山茂林,抵御猛獸盗賊,健體 護寺等基本因素,寺内僧人不得不苦練武術功夫。
其實,若要對中國武術的淵源作進一步考究,我們必須從中國人的生活鬥爭 歷史和發展過程中追溯了。擊技的淵源肯定是導源于原始社會的人類由于覓食和生 存,與自然界挑戰自衛的一種本能,所產生的原始擊技反應而逐漸形成的。再加上 後天的戰爭而產生戰略戰術的技巧,以致擊技隨後也列入兵家之遺緒,中外皆然, 而中國的兵法遠在春秋戰國時代已相當發達矣。
中國武術的盛衰演變
中國武術的歷代相承繼發展和盛衰演變滄桑,簡直就是一部悠長的血泪鬥爭 史。如欲對徒手搏擊的開始作一個合理的探求,那麼,武術的淵源就和人類的原始 鬥爭史有相等的悠久歷史了。
少林寺的盛衰,坊間書籍或武俠小說略有記載。其間穿鑿附會的不少,但有 些是有歷史根據的。唐朝年間(公元六一八九零七年)少林寺大為隆盛。寺僧大 增,以武藝揚名中原。據說唐朝初年衆僧曾協助朝廷救平王世充之亂,此說可從
<<唐裴少林寺碑>>中加以考據。少林寺在唐之前,曾歷經數度盛衰,直至唐初少林 寺僧人的善武,遂使少林拳術揚名全國,名噪一時。自唐末到兩宋時期,少林寺的 名氣更大。由宋朝到清朝可說是少林拳的黄金時代。在這段悠長的歲月裏,少林拳 已可說是中國的國術。在元朝,由于异族統治,漢族的民族感情高漲,于是拳法大 行其道。據道懂得拳術而又具有反元復宗思想的志士為數頗眾,對元朝統治者產生 威脅,以致元政府下令禁止習武。據有關歷史文獻記載,在清朝社會,清皇朝為了 鞏固統治政權以防漢人造反,故對武技一門亦諸多限制。然而,不少武士都具有抗 清復明的思想,以致發生了不少可歌可泣的血泪悲壯事迹留傳民間。在乾隆年間亦 有火燒少林寺的傳說,各省份的少林寺多被焚毁。這更激起武林人士更大憤慨和不 滿,其間不斷傳來武士領導的小規模革命鬥争事迹。
拳術在中國歷史後期却成為農民對統治者造反(即農民起義)的一種鼓動力 量。一九零零年發生震撼世界的義和團事件,中國民間的秘密會社,包括大刀會, 紅槍會等聯合組成義和團,紛紛起來抗拒帝國主義的對華侵略。起初是支持并利用 拳眾力量的慈禧太后,後來却懼怕帝國主義勢力而向外國妥協屈服,甚至出賣拳衆, 這一叛賣又成為少林拳在中國的另一大浩劫。義和團事件後清廷又實行根絶拳法的 律令,封閉武館,處决拳教練,企圖盡絕拳術。總之,中國武術的盛衰簡直就是一 部血泪鬥爭史。
中國武術的演變和門派的紛紛涌出,據有關考據是始于明朝末期,盛于清朝。 誠如中國文學史的流派,始于唐朝繼之宋、明。故此,武術界門戶宗派之分,除了 有政治作用外,分化也是一種正常的現象。宗派分少林武當兩派,少林鼻祖達摩禪 師,武當初祖據說是洞玄真人張三豐祖師;少林以外功為主,武當以内功為主。其 實武術一道,不分内外。少林拳術,源于禪功之静狀,因之精神萎靡,與拳功之姿 勢相輔而行,變其一静一動,一陰一陽,剛柔相濟促進明心見性之功能;武當以張 三豐從少林脱胎换骨,以内家運氣之功,得傳于道教,主静以制動,呼吸之理,吐 故納新,支流雖别,與少林本屬一源。
武術對衛國健體的貢獻
中國武術對個人而言,乃修身健體之術,對整個社會而言,則可行俠仗義之 技。對國家民族而言,武術乃捍衛主權和人權的基本功能也。前人以智慧,心血, 苦練,經驗和時間,經千錘百煉,堅苦卓絕積累下來的武術,經歷代相傳繼流傳至 今,已成為中華民族文化的一部份。由于歷史變遷的原因,華人梯行南渡,披荊斬 棘來到南洋,中國武術也隨之傳至本邦。身為武術工作者故此有責任去發揚光大之。 使它成為本邦武術的組成部份,以期使到各種族文化融匯一爐,塑造出一個多姿多 彩的大馬新文化,小則為增强人民體質作出貢獻。
注:本文的參考資料摘取自下列書籍:
一) 達摩東來的第一手資料- 古集芬編寫
二) 少林武當考 – 唐豪編著
三) 中國通史簡編 – 范文瀾
四) 簡明中國哲學史 – 楊榮國主編