Shaolin Sect
Encyclopedia
The Shaolin Sect is a fictional Chinese martial arts sect featured in several wuxia
works. It is one of the largest, most famous and recognised orthodox and righteous sects in the jianghu
. Its home base is at present-day Shaolin Monastery in Henan
. It is also sometimes referred to as "Shaolin Monastery" instead of "Shaolin Sect".
Besides its role as the leading righteous sect in the jianghu in wuxia novels, Shaolin is also strongly featured in popular culture as well. Several Chinese martial arts films also feature Shaolin, such as Shaolin Temple. It is also synonymous with Chinese martial arts as it is mentioned to be the "origin" of all Chinese martial arts in wuxia works. It is perhaps best known to non Chinese for the Shaolin Kung Fu
associated with the sect and monastery.
The sect's members are predominantly Buddhist monks with a minority of non-monks known as "secular disciples" (俗家弟子). The monks follow Buddhist practices and code of conduct apart from practicing martial arts.
, who introduced Zen Buddhism to China. Bodhidharma founded the sect for Buddhist followers to practice martial arts. The aims of practising martial arts were to: improve health, uphold justice, self-defence and helping the weak. As such, Shaolin disciples were reputed to have a strong sense of morality and good mastery of Shaolin martial arts.
Shaolin disciples are ranked by generation. Each member of a certain generation has a prefix before his Buddhist name to indicate his seniority in the sect. In Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils
, the most senior generation is known as the "Xuan" (玄) generation. The head abbot is Xuanci (玄慈) and several elders such as Xuanji (玄寂), Xuannan (玄難), Xuandu (玄渡) and Xuanku (玄苦) also have a "Xuan" prefix in their Buddhist names. One of the protagonists, Xuzhu (虛竹), is from the "Xu" (虛) generation, which is two generations junior that of the Xuan generation.
In The Legend of the Condor Heroes
, the Xianxia Sect (仙霞派) is said to be a branch of Shaolin. Its home base is at Yunxi Monastery (雲棲寺) in southern China. Its members include Reverend Jiaomu, Reverend Kumu, and his disciple, Lu Guanying.
The following is a list of generation ranks in different eras:
The sect is also sub-divided in several different branches and clusters (or halls), which take charge of different aspects of the sect's daily activities.
as the origin of all Chinese martial arts and as one of the leaders of all "righteous" and "orthodox" sects. In Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils, it is said to house 72 different forms of martial arts and no one has managed to master all of them since the founding of the sect. These martial arts have Buddhist names, such as "Bodhidharma's Palm" (達摩掌) and "Arhat's Fist" (羅漢拳).
It is also home to the famous Sinew-changing Classic (易筋經), a martial arts manual instructing the user how to master a certain skill which improves the user's prowess in all kinds of martial arts. It has also powerful healing properties if the user manages to master the skill. In Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils, You Tanzhi acquires the manual by chance and uses its skills to purge poison in his body after he is infected by venomous creatures. The sutra also increases his inner energy
and stamina, allowing him to deliver an ordinary palm stroke with a force several times the original impact. In The Smiling, Proud Wanderer, Linghu Chong
uses the skills in the manual to heal his internal wounds.
Wuxia
Wuxia is a broad genre of Chinese fiction concerning the adventures of martial artists. Although wuxia is traditionally a form of literature, its popularity has caused it to spread to diverse art forms like Chinese opera, manhua , films, television series, and video games...
works. It is one of the largest, most famous and recognised orthodox and righteous sects in the jianghu
Jianghu
The jianghu is the milieu, environment, or sub-community, often fictional, in which many Chinese wuxia stories are set.In modern Chinese culture, jianghu is commonly accepted as an alternative universe coexisting with the actual historical one in which the context of the wuxia genre was set...
. Its home base is at present-day Shaolin Monastery in Henan
Henan
Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...
. It is also sometimes referred to as "Shaolin Monastery" instead of "Shaolin Sect".
Besides its role as the leading righteous sect in the jianghu in wuxia novels, Shaolin is also strongly featured in popular culture as well. Several Chinese martial arts films also feature Shaolin, such as Shaolin Temple. It is also synonymous with Chinese martial arts as it is mentioned to be the "origin" of all Chinese martial arts in wuxia works. It is perhaps best known to non Chinese for the Shaolin Kung Fu
Shaolin kung fu
Shaolin Kung Fu refers to a collection of Chinese martial arts that claim affiliation with the Shaolin Monastery.Of the multitude styles of kung fu and wushu, only some are actually related to Shaolin...
associated with the sect and monastery.
The sect's members are predominantly Buddhist monks with a minority of non-monks known as "secular disciples" (俗家弟子). The monks follow Buddhist practices and code of conduct apart from practicing martial arts.
History
The Shaolin Sect is founded in the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period by BodhidharmaBodhidharma
Bodhidharma was a Buddhist monk who lived during the 5th/6th century AD. He is traditionally credited as the transmitter of Ch'an to China, and regarded as the first Chinese patriarch...
, who introduced Zen Buddhism to China. Bodhidharma founded the sect for Buddhist followers to practice martial arts. The aims of practising martial arts were to: improve health, uphold justice, self-defence and helping the weak. As such, Shaolin disciples were reputed to have a strong sense of morality and good mastery of Shaolin martial arts.
Organisation
The sect is headed by the Head Abbot (方丈) of the Monastery. Below him in rank are the elders of the sect.Shaolin disciples are ranked by generation. Each member of a certain generation has a prefix before his Buddhist name to indicate his seniority in the sect. In Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils
Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils
Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils is a wuxia novel by Jin Yong. It was first serialized concurrently from September 3, 1963 to May 27, 1966 in Ming Pao in Hong Kong and Nanyang Siang Pau in Singapore....
, the most senior generation is known as the "Xuan" (玄) generation. The head abbot is Xuanci (玄慈) and several elders such as Xuanji (玄寂), Xuannan (玄難), Xuandu (玄渡) and Xuanku (玄苦) also have a "Xuan" prefix in their Buddhist names. One of the protagonists, Xuzhu (虛竹), is from the "Xu" (虛) generation, which is two generations junior that of the Xuan generation.
In The Legend of the Condor Heroes
The Legend of the Condor Heroes
The Legend of Condor Heroes is a wuxia novel by Jin Yong, and the first part of the Condor Trilogy. It was first serialized between January 1, 1957 and May 19, 1959 in Hong Kong Commercial Daily...
, the Xianxia Sect (仙霞派) is said to be a branch of Shaolin. Its home base is at Yunxi Monastery (雲棲寺) in southern China. Its members include Reverend Jiaomu, Reverend Kumu, and his disciple, Lu Guanying.
The following is a list of generation ranks in different eras:
- Song DynastySong DynastyThe Song Dynasty was a ruling dynasty in China between 960 and 1279; it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, and was followed by the Yuan Dynasty. It was the first government in world history to issue banknotes or paper money, and the first Chinese government to establish a...
: Ling (靈), Xuan (玄), Hui (慧), Xu (虛), Kong (空) - Yuan DynastyYuan DynastyThe Yuan Dynasty , or Great Yuan Empire was a ruling dynasty founded by the Mongol leader Kublai Khan, who ruled most of present-day China, all of modern Mongolia and its surrounding areas, lasting officially from 1271 to 1368. It is considered both as a division of the Mongol Empire and as an...
: Du (渡), Kong (空), Yuan (圓), Hui (慧), Fa (法), Xiang (相), Zhuang (莊) - Qing DynastyQing DynastyThe Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
: Da (大), Jue (覺), Guan (觀), Hui (晦), Cheng (澄), Jing (靜), Yan (嚴), Hua (華)
The sect is also sub-divided in several different branches and clusters (or halls), which take charge of different aspects of the sect's daily activities.
List of halls
- Abbot's living quarters (方丈精舍)
- Bodhidharma Hall (达摩院/达摩堂) - training grounds for only Shaolin martial arts
- Arhat Hall (罗汉堂) - meeting grounds with challengers from other sects
- Prajñā Hall (般若院/般若堂) - training grounds for martial arts (including those of other sects)
- Discipline Hall (戒律院) - in charge of law and order within the sect
- Bodhi Hall (菩提院) - the place where the Sinew-Changing Classic is kept
- King of Herbs Hall (药王院) - the hospital where the sick and injured are attended to
- Sarira Hall (舍利院) - the crematorium for cremating the bodies of deceased members
- Guest Hall (知客院) - reception grounds for guests to the Monastery
- Library (藏经阁) - the place where Buddhist sutras and martial arts manuals are kept
Martial arts
The Shaolin Sect is hailed in the jianghuJianghu
The jianghu is the milieu, environment, or sub-community, often fictional, in which many Chinese wuxia stories are set.In modern Chinese culture, jianghu is commonly accepted as an alternative universe coexisting with the actual historical one in which the context of the wuxia genre was set...
as the origin of all Chinese martial arts and as one of the leaders of all "righteous" and "orthodox" sects. In Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils, it is said to house 72 different forms of martial arts and no one has managed to master all of them since the founding of the sect. These martial arts have Buddhist names, such as "Bodhidharma's Palm" (達摩掌) and "Arhat's Fist" (羅漢拳).
It is also home to the famous Sinew-changing Classic (易筋經), a martial arts manual instructing the user how to master a certain skill which improves the user's prowess in all kinds of martial arts. It has also powerful healing properties if the user manages to master the skill. In Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils, You Tanzhi acquires the manual by chance and uses its skills to purge poison in his body after he is infected by venomous creatures. The sutra also increases his inner energy
Neigong
Neigong, also spelled nei kung, neigung, or nae gong, refers to any of a set of Chinese breathing, meditation and spiritual practice disciplines associated with Daoism and especially the Chinese martial arts...
and stamina, allowing him to deliver an ordinary palm stroke with a force several times the original impact. In The Smiling, Proud Wanderer, Linghu Chong
Linghu Chong
Linghu Chong is the fictional protagonist of the wuxia novel The Smiling, Proud Wanderer by Jin Yong.-Biography:Linghu is an orphan and was taken into Yue Buqun's care as a child. Yue accepted him as a disciple and Linghu became a member of the Mount Hua Sect as Yue's most senior disciple. He...
uses the skills in the manual to heal his internal wounds.
List of fictional Shaolin martial arts
- Foundation skills
- Shaolin Long Fist (少林長拳)
- Arhat Fist (羅漢拳)
- Tiger-subduing Palm (伏虎掌)
- Skanda Palm (韋馱掌)
- Merciful Thousand Leaves Hand (大慈大悲千葉手)
- Fist styles
- Dashing Shaolin (闖少林)
- Drunken FistZui QuanZui Quan is literally Drunken Fist, also known as Drunken Boxing or Drunkard's Boxing) is a concept in traditional Chinese martial arts, as well as a classification of modern Wushu forms...
(醉拳) - Five Elements Linking Fist (五行連環拳)
- Lu Zhishen Pounds the Door Drunken Fist (魯智深醉打山門拳)
- Heaven and Earth in the Sleeve (袖里乾坤)
- Great Vajra Fist (大金剛拳)
- Palm styles
- Great Skanda Palm (大韋馱掌)
- Evil-subduing Palm (降魔掌)
- Divine Vajra Palm (金剛神掌)
- Vajra Prajñā Palm (金剛般若掌)
- Prajñā Palm (般若掌)
- Eight styles of Divine Palm (神掌八打)
- Thousand Hands Buddha Palm (千手如來掌)
- Mount Meru Palm (須彌山掌)
- Flower Scattering Palm (散花掌)
- Snowy Mountain Palm (雪山掌)
- Bodhidharma Palm (達摩掌)
- Swift Palm (快掌)
- Stone Wielding Palm (握石掌)
- One Clap Two Scatters (一拍兩散)
- Finger styles
- Indian Buddha Finger (天竺佛指)
- Moke Finger (摩诃指)
- Duoluoye Finger (多羅葉指)
- Wuxiang Jie Finger (無相劫指)
- Flower-pinching Finger (拈花指)
- Great Strength Vajra Finger (大力金剛指)
- Great Wisdom Wuding Finger (大智無定指)
- One Finger Zen (一指禪)
- Grabbing styles
- Great Strength Vajra Grab (大力金剛抓)
- Eagle Claw (鷹爪手)
- Ending Grab (寂滅抓)
- Indra Grab (因陀羅抓)
- Tiger Claw (虎爪手)
- Dragon Claw (龍爪手)
- Grabbing HandChin NaChin Na or Qinna is a Chinese term describing techniques used in the Chinese martial arts that control or lock an opponent's joints or muscles/tendons so he cannot move, thus neutralizing the opponent's fighting ability...
(擒拿手) - Big Grabbing Hand (大擒拿手)
- Small Grabbing Hand (小擒拿手)
- Flower-pinching Grabbing Hand (拈花擒拿手)
- Shaolin Eighteen Styles Grabbing Hand (少林擒拿十八打)
- Sword styles
- Arhat Swordplay (羅漢劍法)
- Skanda Evil-subduing Swordplay (韋馱伏魔劍)
- Bodhidharma Swordplay (達摩劍法)
- Saber styles
- Evil-subduing Saber Style (降魔刀法)
- Burning Wood Saber Style (燃木刀法)
- Staff styles
- Evil-subduing Staff Style (伏魔杖法)
- Evil-suppressing Staff Style (降魔杖法)
- Wild Demon Staff Style (瘋魔杖法)
- Small Yaksha Staff Style (小夜叉棍)
- Big Yaksha Staff Style (大夜叉棍)
- Obtaining the Scriptures Staff Style (取經棍法)
- Inner energy skills
- Vajra Evil-subduing Divine Skill (金剛伏魔神通)
- Vajra Body-defending Divine Skill (金剛不壞體神功)
- Sinew-changing Classic (易筋經)
- Nine Yang Divine Skill (九陽神功)
- Arhat Evil-subduing Divine Skill (羅漢伏魔神功)
- Pona Skill (破衲功)
- Cassock Evil-subduing Skill (袈裟伏魔功)
- Other skills
- Dragon-capturing Hand (擒龍手)
- Golden Bell Shield (金鐘罩)
- Iron shirtIron ShirtIron Shirt is a form of hard style martial art exercise for protecting the human body from impacts in a fight. This is one of the 72 arts of the Shaolin Temple. Some martial arts are based on the idea that a correctly trained body can withstand more damage than one that is untrained...
(鐵布衫) - Jackfruit Hand (波羅蜜手)
- Vajra Zen Lion Roar (金剛禪獅子吼)
- Shadowless Formless Legs (如影隨形腿)
- Great Skanda Mace (大韋馱杵)
- Formations
- Great Arhat Formation (羅漢大陣)
- Vajra Evil-subduing Ring (金剛伏魔圈)
- Arhat Sword Formation (羅漢劍陣)
External links
Shaolin Sect on Baidu BaikeBaidu Baike
Baidu Encyclopedia is a Chinese language collaborative Web-based encyclopedia provided by the Chinese search engine Baidu. Like Baidu itself, the encyclopedia is heavily self-censored in line with government regulations....