Chapter 1
What Is Kung-fu?
In the West, we are accustomed to using the term kung-fu when referring to any Chinese martial art, no matter what the specific style may be. It will surprise some readers to learn, however, that kung-fu is not a synonym for “the Chinese martial arts.” Among modern-day Chinese practitioners, these disciplines are known as kuo shu, wu shu, wu kung, and a variety of other appellations-but only rarely as kung-fu.
A literal translation of kung-fu is “the effort and time it takes to accomplish a task or master a skill.” Another suitable translation might be “perfection achieved through exertion.” In other words, kung-fu is not in itself a skill—such as proficiency in the martial arts—but is rather the process of labor and practice through which a skill or ability is developed. Over the years, kung-fu has become synonymous with the Chinese martial arts because tradition maintains that it requires at least a decade of devoted effort to master any of the Chinese martial styles.
The technically correct term to use when referring to a fighting system is wu shu. Translated directly from the Chinese, wu means “military, warlike,” and shu denotes a “skill or method of doing something.” Although wu shu more precisely embodies the meaning of “martial art,” the use of kung-fu in this sense is so popular and widespread that the two terms have essentially become interchangeable.
Although history has supposedly witnessed the creation of over 1,500 wu shu styles, only about 150 of these have survived to the present day. While certain basic similarities exist among the various styles, in many respects they are profoundly different from one another. The advantage to this diversity is that a prospective martial artist is able to choose the style that best suits his or her interests and abilities. Currently, some of the more commonly taught styles include Hung-gar, Wing Chun, praying mantis, Choy Lay Fut, White Crane, and t’ai ch’i ch’uan.
Neither kung-fu nor wu shu as described above should be confused with the official wu shu that is practiced in the People’s Republic of China. PRC wu shu is primarily a performance art rather than a fighting system. It originated several decades ago when PRC officials realized the value of the Chinese martial arts as a cultural promotional tool. For political reasons, however, many of the more practical fighting techniques were removed from the traditional styles and what remained was blended with folk dance, Chinese opera, and acrobatics. While this form of wu shu is less martial than the more combat-oriented styles, it is nevertheless kung-fu of the highest order.
Chapter 2
A Brief History of the Chinese Martial Arts
Popular legends trace the origin of the Chinese martial arts to an Indian I monk named Bodhidharma. It is said that Bodhidharma was born into India’s noble warrior class, the Kshatriya, but that early in life he renounced his worldly position and became a disciple of Mahayana Buddhism. Around A.D. 520, Bodhidharma left India and made his way to China. He was initially warmly received by Emperor Wu-ti, but a dispute with the emperor over Buddhist doctrine eventually compelled him to seek refuge in the Shaolin temple in Honan Province. At the time of his arrival at the temple, the monks who lived there were absorbed in a scholarly exploration of Buddhism. Bodhidharma strongly believed that Buddhism was a philosophy to be experienced, not just read about in musty old books. Rather than participate in such a pedantic community, Bodhidharma took up residence in a nearby cave and spent the following nine years meditating in complete solitude. In time, the Shaolin monks came to refer to him as the “Wall-gazing Brahmin.” Eventually, Bodhidharma’s dedication and self-discipline impressed the monks and they invited him to share his knowledge. Bodhidharma set out to instruct the monks in his rigorous meditation techniques, which he believed were the key to Buddhist enlightenment. He soon discovered that poor health prevented the monks from meeting the physical challenges of his discipline. In response, he devised a series of exercises to strengthen their bodies and minds; these exercises were later set down in writing as the I-Chin Ching (Muscle Rehabilitation Classic). These exercises, passed down and modified by generations of Shaolin monks, are believed by many to be the foundation from which the various Chinese kung-fu styles evolved.
While many elements of the above legend are undoubtedly based on fact, others are most likely apocryphal in nature. Historical evidence does testify to the existence of a Buddhist monk named Bodhidharma who introduced Ch’an Buddhism (Zen in Japanese) into China. In addition, sources indicate that Bodhidharma spent some years at the Shaolin temple, and that he eventually died there. It is impossible to determine, however, whether or not he really was the founding father of Chinese kung-fu. On the one hand, as a member of the Indian Kshatriya class, it is likely that he had received training in some form of Indian yoga or martial arts before his conversion to Buddhism. He may have shared these physical techniques with the Shaolin monks in the form of the I-Chin Ching. On the other hand, there is absolutely no concrete evidence to support the claim that Bodhidharma was the author of the I-Chin Ching, or that this work gave rise to the Chinese kung-fu styles.
Some scholars believe that basic martial arts techniques were first developed in India and later transported to China along with other elements of Indian culture. The previously mentioned Kshatriya class were known to have practiced some form of unarmed fighting as early as 1000 B.C.3 It is conceivable that, centuries before Bodhidharma’s lifetime, these skills were transmitted along trade routes into China, where they formed the basis for Chinese kung-fu.
The ancient Greeks also popularized a number of fighting styles, some of which made use of kicking, punching, and grappling techniques. Scholars have speculated that in the wake of Alexander the Great’s conquest of India in 326 B.C., these techniques were imported into India, and exported from India to China.4
Long before Alexander’s campaigns, however, the Chinese were practicing large-scale organized warfare. Numerous historical sources, such as Ssu Ma Ch’ien’s Records of the Historian, tell us of epic battles and martial derring-do dating back to the Chou dynasty (1122-221 B.C.). Judging from these accounts and the ancient arms and armor that have been unearthed by archaeologists, the Chinese were using relatively sophisticated combat techniques even during this early period.
Regardless of whether the inspiration for Chinese kung-fu came from Greece, India, or China itself, there is little doubt that the Shaolin temple evolved into the most influential martial arts center the world has ever known. According to legend, the Shaolin monks did not engage in any martial arts training prior to the arrival of Bodhidharma, but within a scant 150 years of his death they had already earned a reputation as formidable fighters. By A.D. 600, their fighting prowess was so renowned that the founder of the T’ang dynasty (A.D. 618-907) enlisted their support in his bid for the throne.
For a period of one thousand years, beginning with the T’ang dynasty, the Shaolin temple experienced a golden age. Living in relative peace and prosperity, the monks were free to pursue the twin disciplines of Buddhism and kung-fu. It was during this millennium that additional Shaolin temples were constructed, the most famous of which was the southern Shaolin temple, established in Fukien Province around A.D. 1399.
The Fukien temple was supposedly the site of the celebrated thirty-five chambers in which Shaolin disciples learned different Kung-fu techniques. This temple is also said to have featured a corridor containing eighteen wooden dummies, which served as a kind of graduation examination for students who had completed the training program. In order to qualify as a kung-fu master, acolytes had to pass through this corridor without being injured or killed by the mechanically operated dummies. According to legend, those who made it all the way through faced one final challenge: Using only their forearms, they had to lift and carry a heavy iron urn filled with hot coals. One side of the urn featured a relief of a dragon, while the other was inscribed with a tiger. If the acolyte succeeded in lifting the