The Shaolin Academy has 20 levels in total divided into 5 segments. The first levels, the novitiate, are the 5 Temples levels on this page. The next 5 Intermediate levels are then the 5 Animal Levels which bring the Shaolin Kung Fu practitioner to Black Sash. The next 5 levels allow the Shaolin Academy student a large range of choices including other martial arts style, Specialist Mastership in Animal styles (including those other than the 5), Traditional Chinese Weaponry and more. The final 5 levels or 4+1 levels are Mastership levels, with the final one (+1) reserved for the head of the Academy.
Shaolin History click on this line and a new window will open with a full and comprehensive accounting!
Introduction
Shaolin Kung Fu has a history of some 1500 years. In this time it went through 'phases' which often were influenced by circumstances and places. Although all the circumstances and places can not be represented, the most influential, significant and representable were chose to represent the first 5 (of 10) levels on the way to Black Sash. For a detailed account of Shaolin History and how exactly these temples came to influence Shaolin style, please click on this line.
Level 1 Gray Sash - Emei Shan
The eastern range of the Himalayas extends to the edge of the Cheng-tu Basin in the remote Chinese Szechuan Province. At the south-western corner of the basin, stands the sacred mountain called Emei Shan. Towering some 3099m, the
peak of this great mountain is a holy place to the Chinese Buddhists since the Song Dynasty. The prevailing west wind creates an odd pattern of air currents that rake the monastery with winds of velocities up to 100 miles an hour.
The "Delicate Eyebrow Mountain" Temple complex is on the border between China, Tibet and India. It's influence on Shaolin was as at a very key time after the turmoil of the 5 Kingdoms, 10 Dynasty area when a the Song Emperor sent a delegation to the West to bring back Buddhist scrolls! Upon the return of the delegation, which coincided with the completion of the Emperors new capital city, he sent all the builders to Emai Shan to build almost 100 new building to accommodate the returning Monks and Western Buddhists.
Golden Peak Temple some 3km above see level.
The Mt Emei temple complex has a long standing tradition of cultural & medical interchange of information between Chinese, Indian and Tibetan healers. As Mt Emei dates back to before the official birth of China, Shaolin Monks Masters would have regularly visited this temple for medical training. Traditionally, the symbol of the Mt Emei Temple healers was the White Crane.
Mt Emei Temple focus us on breathing, meditation, exercise, health and safety. We start with working on Breathing, Meditation, Posture, Sure Footed ness, Clarity of Direction and Safety.
You learn the great 4 Stances, Natural, Guard, Horse (Riding) & Dragon (Riding) the Strongest Punch in martial arts (Stone Breaking Fist), the best kick for self defence (Shaolin Dragon Front Kick) as well as the 5 Foundation blocks with which you can counter these strong techniques. You also learn the Emei Shan Breathing set (video to the right); an exercise for inner health, posture, breathing and meditation; a mix of tai chi, chi kung and yoga without all the complexities. It is a form that, once learned, is moulded to your personal needs.
Level 2 White Sash - Kwantung
Fourteen years before Bodhidharma entered Shaolin, his first steps on Chinese soil were made in Kwantung (Canton/Guangdong). He stayed there for two years before he made his journey north to arrive at Shaolin. During his stay in Kwantung he spread the word of Buddhism. He impressed many followers who built this temple for him after he left! on a journey that made world history. The Xilai Temple was built in 527!
Kwantung was a Gateway to China very close to Macau and Hong Kong, up the road from Vietnam and Burma and not to far away from Taiwan and the Philippines. The region, originally settled by Miao, Li, and Yao tribes, continually attracted migrating groups from the north; some (notably the Hakka) retained their own languages.
One of the many structures that are/were the Kwantung (also Guangdong) Ssu
It is believed that over 50% of all Chinese migrants across the world came from Kwantung and many more through it. With Kwantung being a melting post for all matter of races, many conflicts and fighting styles would have been in use here. The most famous of theses was the Kwantung Black Tiger. A ferocious style known for it's strong low stances and powerful round techniques. It also has a simplicity of direct movement, straight to the point attitude and clarity of purpose which makes it ideal for the 2nd Level of the Shaolin Kung Fu Academy.
We focus on the Strong, Hard aspect of the Shaolin Styles, direct movements on low stances with strong round techniques supplemented by shorter range punch variations. Leg movements are strong, solid and low, and often used to upset the opponents balance. Evasion is simple sideways with quick palm blocks supplemented by the Strong basic blocks of the first level. The form of this level is the Shaolin 5 Directional Horse Stance form, The Kwantung Form. This now completes the two main aspects of Foundations, Breathing/Chi and Ground contact/stances.
Level 3 Yellow Sash - Fukien
In the time before Shanghai, Fukien was a major port connecting China with other oriental cultures including Taiwan, Korea and Japan. Although many history books speak about Shanghai, Canton and Peking (Beijing), is was the province of Fukien that was the main centers of trade and commerce earlier in Chinese History, which extends back more than 3000 years.
Fukien was long accepted as Shaolin's 2nd Temple and second HQ which thank it's existence to two key services the Shaolin Monks accomplished for the Tang Emperor. One is the very famous legend of the 13 monks; and the 2nd is the lesser know fact of the clean up of Pirates in the Kwantung province for the Tang Emperor by the Shaolin Monks. A record dated from the time of the 7th Century recorded that Pirate problems threatened stability and prosperity in Southern China and that the Emperor's requested Shaolin help.
(Shaolin sent three of these fighting monks, Dao Guang, Seng Man and Seng Feng, together with 500 warrior monks to help solve the problem. Together with the Tang soldiers over a period of time, the Shaolin were able to reverse the trend and if not eradicate the Pirates, push them back and greatly reduce their influence in the ports and centers of commerce!
Guanghua Temple in Putian would have been the first Fukien Shaolin Temple. Located at the foot of Fenghuang (Phoenix) Mountain, about two miles to the south of Putian City in Fujian Province. It was built in the Southern Dynasties (420-589) and became well known in the Tang Dynasty (618-907) because of the Shaolin Monks Living there. The Fujian White Crane Boxing, suggested to have been originated by the Daughter of a Kung Fu master who could never win against her fathers' students. The one day whilst trying to shoo cranes from a building she noticed how these kept evading here with little effort. She observed this, developed it into a style to suit here and called if White Crane Style. The characteristics of this style are intricate hand techniques with expansive stepping and evading with a rapid interchange between distance and close range techniques. With the addition of Dim Mak and practical development over a period of time, the Phoenix form of this style was developed and found it's way into Hong Kong where it is know as the White Crane Boxing style.
Using the Phoenix aspect for the focus of this level, we learn timing, precision, coordination, patience and superior evasion. Attacking from the defensive, evading attacking and incidental attacks whilst maintaining the own safety is coupled with flicking and sudden hand techniques. Legs are used mainly for evasion but the incidental strong pushing leg technique is also used. Re-directive and disruptive Crane blocks are used with attacks to pressure vital points.
Level 4 Orange Sash - Wudang
Mount Wudang was built well before the time of the Ming's, possibly during the Han Dynasty. During the Tang Dynasty the 5 Dragon Temple was added and Wudang became a Taoist center. It was though, around the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, that quiet an extensive expansion of this temple was recorded. It seems that the Ming Dynasty emperor Zhuli ordered the expansion of Mount Wudang construction, when work in his capitol Beijing came to the end. The reason for this may be an ever increasing direction of elevating the Emperor into a god like status, thus each Emperor would have their favorite temple.
Historical records show that there was regular interaction between Shaolin and Wudang. Both these temples had their own version of exercise for health and fitness. Where the Shaolin believed that a tough body and mind was achieved through active and persistent kung Fu training; Wudang seemed to be more inclined towards slow, enduring exercises with slower movements and for longer periods. Although both practiced Chi Kung, Shaolin seemed to be more of the active Kung Fu and Wudang the slower Tai Chi style. But there are no substantiative records that would show anything other than a cooperation between major temples with unusual commonalities.
The Wudang mountain complex covers some 300+ sq kilometers
From Wudang we take the softer and gentler aspect of kung Fu (taking the power from the opponent [poison hand]), a deeper understanding of breathing, the role of nutrition and food within the framework of life & kung fu; and the philosophy of the Dao. We also take on board the story of the Snake and the Black Bird which is said to have inspired the Wudang Kung Fu styles and how the lesser can overcome the greater not just wear it down. It is also from here that we take non-striking attacking moves as part of the training. Finally, where the Shaolin Temple would have preferred the Staff and Spear (Monks Spade) as it's preferred Weapons, the Wudang Kung Fu would be better know from Dao and Jin (Broad Sword & Straight Sword).
In the spirit of Wudang, the Black Bird and Snake, we work on the deeper aspects of Chinese martial arts. We start with the Dao, itself an endless journey with no beginning and many beginnings; and of course we add the aspect of Elegance to the necessary four of Stamina, Endurance, Patience & Focus. The first Chi Kung based techniques in the form of Iron Bar blocks are learned, together with the 8 Immortal Fists and Phoenix Crescent Kicks. With this level we delve into the less taught of Chinese Kung Fu.
Level 5 Green Sash - Shaolin
The front entry to the Shaolin temple.
The Layout of the Shaolin Temple
In the Geographical and Spiritual center of China is one of the Five great Mountain Ranges, in the province of Henan, near the city of Luoyang is Song Shan (Mt Song). It consists of many peaks, the highest with an altitude of 1500m and has been designated as a holy Taoist mountain at least since 771 BCE. It is also well know because one of these 70 peaks Mt Shao, the place of the Shaolin Ssi (Temple)
The seven peaks of Song Shan stretch for 64km between the cities of Luoyang and Zhengzhou. The slopes rise steeply from the valley and are thickly clad with trees, giving them an impressive appearance, but the highest peak (Junji) reaches only 1500m in altitude. The slopes are populated with various Taoist and Buddhist temples, pagodas and guard towers which the Shaolin Ssi is just one.
As there is a whole page dedicated to the History of Shaolin, we will only mention some less know details about Shaolin;.
Shaolin Items of Interest
Jet Li's debut film Shaolin Temple (1982), one of China's biggest blockbusters, helped rebuild the real Shaolin Temple as it stands today.
The Shaolin Temple is relatively small and when it was used for movies, a Taoist temple, further down the same mountain, was often used (it has a large court yard with trees at the front) for the scenes where space was required.
There are no Shaolin Buddhist Monks living at the Shaolin temple. There are a whole lot of students a kilometer further down in the Shaolin temple Training School.
China exports "Shaolin Masters", student who have trained for 3 to 5 years in the Shaolin Temple Training School, to all countries helping them establish "Shaolin Schools" wherever they can.
The Shaolin Temple is NOT the birthplace of Chinese Kung Fu; there are records reaching back two and a half thousand years before Shaolin referring to Chinese Martial Arts.
From Shaolin we need to learn the principles of peace, endurance and insight. It is impossible to escape ones previous, thoughts, words and deeds, if one seeks to become better. Embracing what was and learning, using what is, to move towards what should/could be is just an interim step to complete liberation of though and spirit. What does all this mean? That is for everyone them self do discover; the journey can not be shortened as then the destination will be flawed. On the physical and Kung Fu side of this level, part two of the Iron Bar Blocks round up the advanced defence started in the previous level;
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Shaolin Kung Fu Academy Information
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