Northern Shaolin (martial art)

Part of the series on Chinese martial arts
List of Chinese martial arts
Terms
Kung fu (功夫) Wushu (武術) Qigong (氣功)
Historical places
Shaolin Monastery (少林寺) Wudang Mountains (武當山) Mount Hua (華山) Mount Emei (峨嵋山) Kunlun Mountains (崑崙山)
Historical people
Five Elders (五祖) Yim Wing-chun / Yan Yongchun (嚴詠春) Hung Hei-gun / Hong Xiguan (洪熙官) Fong Sai-yuk / Fang Shiyu (方世玉) Dong Haichuan (董海川) Yang Lu-ch'an (楊露禪) Wu Quanyou (吳全佑) Ten Tigers of Canton (廣東十虎) Chen Fake (陳發科) Chan Heung / Chen Xiang (陳享) Wong Fei-hung / Huang Feihong (黃飛鴻) Sun Lu-t'ang (孫祿堂) Huo Yuanjia (霍元甲) Yip Man / Ye Wen (葉問) Wang Zi-Ping (王子平) Bruce Lee / Li Xiaolong (李小龍) Jackie Chan / Cheng Long (成龍) Sammo Hung / Hong Jinbao (洪金寶) Yuen Biao / Yuán Biāo (元彪) Jet Li / Li Lian Jie (李連杰) Donnie Yen / Zhēn Zǐdān (甄子丹)
Legendary figures
Bodhidharma / Putidamo / Damo (菩提達摩) Zhang Sanfeng (張三丰) Eight immortals (八仙)
Related
Hong Kong action cinema Wushu (sport) Wuxia (武俠) Boxer Rebellion
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For a general overview of Shaolin martial arts, both Northern and Southern, see Shaolin kung fu. For the temple, see Shaolin Monastery.

In its broadest sense, Northern Shaolin (Chinese: 北少林; Pinyin: běishàolín, Cantonese: Bak Sil Lum) refers to the external (as opposed to internal) martial arts of Northern China referring to those styles from the Northern Shaolin Monastery in Henan. At its most specific, Northern Shaolin refers to a style called Fist taught at the gates of Northern Shaolin (Chinese: 北少林拳門; Cantonese: Bak Sil Lum Kuen Moon ^[1]), disseminated by Gu Ruzhang (Cantonese Ku Yu Cheung).

Characteristics

The Northern Shaolin style of kung fu is one of the most prominent traditional northern styles of Chinese martial arts. The northern styles of kung-fu generally emphasize long range techniques, quick advances and retreats, wide stances, kicking and leaping techniques, whirling circular blocks, quickness, agility, and aggressive attacks.

The system teaches empty-hand techniques and weaponry through predetermined combinations, known as forms, routines, or movement of sets. The students learn the basics by practicing the routines until the movements in the routines can be executed naturally based on instinct. Then, two or multiple man sets are practiced to train responses and applications of techniques learned from the sets. The practice sets/routines are not only practical in applications but are also graceful and artistic in nature. The fluidness of the movements combined with acrobatic techniques are trademarks of the Northern Shaolin sets.

The Northern Shaolin style was made famous by the late Ku Yu Cheung. There are many legends of Ku; according to tales related by his close students, Ku's father was an accomplished exponent of the Tan Tui ("springing leg") form. When he was young, Ku traveled throughout Northern China to learn all the northern kung fu systems. He was renowned for his Iron Palm techniques and the application of the long spear. He organized all his learnings into what is today's Northern Shaolin style.

History

The monastery in Henan is the original Shaolin Monastery. The monks began to practice military weapons sometime around the Tang Dynasty and became famous for aiding the future Emperor Li Shimin in struggles against rebellious forces. The monks were primarily known for their spear and staff techniques until the Ming-Qing transition when they began to specialize in unarmed combat. As the reputation of the Shaolin martial arts grew during the following centuries, its name became synonymous with martial arts, regardless of whether an individual art traced its origins to the Shaolin Monastery in Henan or not.^[2] As a result, the "Shaolin" moniker was applied to other Buddhist temples with strong reputations for martial arts. The characteristics of the martial arts taught at each temple were so different from each other that they became identified with their place of origin.

The Northern Shaolin style associated with Gu Ruzhang was first taught to a lay disciple, the celebrated 18th century master Gan Fengchi of Jiangsu Province, by a Shaolin monk named Zhao Yuan, born Zhu Fu, a member of the Ming royal family who joined the sangha after the Ming was overthrown by the Qing in 1644. (Gan is also remembered for founding the martial art Huāquán 花拳, literally "flower fist", about which he wrote the book Introduction to Huāquán.) Gan in turn taught Wan Bangcai, who taught Yan Degong, who taught Yan Sansen, who taught Yan Jiwen, who taught his nephew Gu Ruzhang (1894–1952).

Generation 1-7

1. 朝元 和尚 (Monk Zhāo Yuán)
2. 甘鳳吃 (Gān Fèng Chī)
3. 萬邦才 (Wàn Bāng Cái)
4. 嚴徳功 (Yán Dé Gōng)
5. 嚴三省 (Yán Sān Xǐng)
6. 嚴機(繼)溫 (Yán Jī Wēn)
7. 顧汝章 (Gù Rǔ Zhāng)

Yan Jiwen also taught Gu the skills of Iron Body and Iron Palm. On a famous occasion in 1931, Gu is said to have demonstrated the latter on a horse.

Among the martial artists who gathered at the Central National Martial Arts Institute in Nanjing in 1928, Gu placed in the top fifteen and was included—alongside Fu Zhensong, Li Xianwu, Wan Laimin, Wan Laisheng, and Wong Shao Chou—in the Five Southbound Tigers (五虎下江南; pinyin: wǔ hǔ xià jiāng nán; literally "five tigers heading south of Jiangnan"), five masters of the Northern Chinese martial arts sent to Guangzhou to organize another National Martial Arts Institute.

In Guangzhou, the name "Shaolin" was already associated with Hung Gar and other styles, so Gu's style came to be known by the name Northern Shaolin. Also by the names Bak Sil Lum in Cantonese and Bei Shaolin in Mandarin.

The Northern Shaolin curriculum of Gu Ru Zhang

	Chinese	Mandarin Pinyin	Cantonese
Open the Door	開門	Kāi Mén	Hoi Moon	open the door
Lead the Way	領路	Lǐng Lù	Ling Lo	lead the way
The Sitting Horse	坐馬	Zuò Mǎ	Choh Ma	sit on the horse
Pierce the Heart	穿心	Chuān Xīn	Cheun Sam	penetrate the heart
Martial Skill	武藝	Wǔ Yì	Mo Ngai	martial skill
Short Strike	短打	Duǎn Dǎ	Duen Da	hand to hand combat
Plum Flower	梅花	Méi Huā	Mui fa	plum flower
Uprooting Step	拔步	Bá Bù	Boot Bo	pluck the stance
Chained Fist	連環拳	Liánhuánquán	Lin Waan Keun	continuous fist
Pattern Method	式法	Shì Fǎ	Sik Faat	knowing the way

Note that some heirs of Zhang's tradition teach these routines in a different order, particularly those under Chan Kowk Wai, graduated master by Yim Shang Wu, a direct student of Zhang and introductor of Northern Shaolin into Brazil.

In Argentina, the "WuHsingChuan" School of Sifu Neldo Sacomani teach the style Bak Siu Lam Mun, learned directly from Hong Kong. Your direct line of learning is: Ku Yu Cheung - Lung Tze Cheung (classmate Yim Seung Mo) - Lung Kai Ming - Hui Yin Fu.

References

• Chan Kowk Wai, Ariovaldo F. A. Veiga. Kung Fu Shaolin do Norte: Técnicas Básicas. São Paulo, 1995. Biopress Editora, SP.

1. ^ "Academia Sino-Brasileira de Kung Fu". http://www.sinobrasileira.org/index.php?id=4&subid=12&ln=pt. Retrieved 2010-04-15. 
2. ^ Shahar, Meir. The Shaolin Monastery: History, Religion, and the Chinese Martial Arts. Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press, 2008 (ISBN 0824831101)