Although Bodhidharma was credited as the creator of kung fu, it is also known that many other forms of fighting and exercises were already in existence long before his arrival.
Hua Tuo, also called Yuanhua, was born in Qiao in the State of Pei (today's Boxian County, Anhui Province). He lived in the second century and was an outstanding medical scientist. He travelled the country in search of solutions to the problem of maintaining the people's health. On his tours he took special notice of animal movements. He tried to imitate the vivid and lively movements of the tiger leaping, the deer running, the bear climbing uphill, the monkey hanging onto the trees, and the bird spreading its wings to fly. An ancient form of gymnastics was created when he wrote and taught the 'five-animal frolic'. Other exercises and northern styles came from this invention, including during later generations: Tiaji Quan.
In the Sui Dynasty (589-618AD) the Shaolin Monastery was granted significant tracts of land (1648 acres). The royal court's growing interest in the temple radically increased the monastery’s economic base, as well as its administrative needs. This brought the need for self-sufficiency, administration, and security. Shortly thereafter, temple records show that the Qin Prince Li Shi Min called on the monks to assist in apprehending rogue General Wang Shi Cong and to help pacify the area. The temple responded by providing its new warrior class monks. This represented the first time that the disciples had collectively took part in battle. Prince Li went on to become the first Tang Dynasty emperor. He awarded the temple additional land.
Within a few years the temple and its buildings encompassed over 3000 acres of land. Defence was important so the answer was a permanent warrior class of soldier monks.
Centuries after the death of Bodhidharma and Hua Tuo, a Mongol named Genghis Khan and later his son Kublai continued the Mongol reign or Yuan Dynasty (1206-1368AD). The China ruled by Kublai was the vastest nation the world has ever seen. During this period, a young wealthy man named Kwok Yuan (originally named Yen) entered the Monastery to study their methods of boxing. A skilled swordsman, he not only mastered the Shaolin art, but also expanded its meditation patterns into 72 fighting exercises.
Still yearning for greater knowledge, he left the Temple and travelled throughout China in search of other boxing masters. Eventually, he met two other famous fighters in Shanxi Province--Li Cheng and Pai Yu Feng, both at the time over 50-years old. The three retired to a monastery, where the 72 movements of Kwok Yuen were increased to 170 based on the movements of animals.
This animal theme reoccurs in kung fu over and over again. This probably started with animal dances of ancient shaman but may have more to do with the animal signs of the Chinese zodiac. To welcome in the New Year lion protective dancing welcomes the arrival of the processional dragon. Even today, it is the martial arts' clubs that re-enact these animals, who not only act in character excepting gifts but perform feats of martial arts and acrobatics. Young martial arts students naturally take on the character of the animal as they attempt use their martial arts to ward off evil spirits as the lions.
Buddhist Mistresses Ng Mui and her brother, Miu Hin an unshaven disciple of Shaolin, later classified these boxers' animal techniques. This was around the time of the Qing Dynasty before the famous raids and burning of the Temple. These two took the original exercises and through careful observation of the animals fighting styles imitated the movements, made modifications to suit human limbs and grouped them into five, different animal forms. There is one animal for each of the Chinese 'Five Elements of Nature'. A hypothesis exists that this legend was a cover story created by the secret societies to disguise the true genesis of the style.
Each animal style complemented each other and at the same time had individual approaches of their own. The essences of these were merged and synchronised into an efficient oneness, known as 'Shaolin Kung Fu'. These exercises have developed over the centuries into a form of unarmed combat.
The temples were a place of refuge and harboured many bandits, fighters and boxers. Many disguised themselves as monks taking on their uniforms and sometimes the shaved hairstyle. To repay the shelter they taught their martial skills. Time spent in the Shaolin Temple became a necessity on any good fighter's resume, improving both the fighter's and the Temples legendary status. Seeking refuge is a corner stone of Buddhism Temple life even today.
One legend states that boxers could only graduate from the Temple by passing a harrowing life-or-death examination. The candidate was sealed in a specially designed labyrinth, which had only one exit--the front gate. As he worked his way through this maze, the candidate encountered deadly traps, armed dummies, and other lethal devices, all triggered mechanically. If they succeeded in reaching the exit the potential graduate came face to face with one final obstacle--a huge, red-hot smokey urn. To gain his freedom, the Shaolin disciple would need to wrap his forearms around the smouldering object and move it aside. In so doing, he received on his forearms the formidable seal of two animals--the sign of a Shaolin graduate. The first four temples branded their monks with the tiger and dragon on the left and right forearms respectively. The Crane Temple had the mantis and the crane on the right and left forearms.
Current monastery records cite numerous relationships among the monks and political authorities and military generals throughout the Tang, Song, and Ming Dynasties. Tang generals were often posted to the monastery to exchange kung fu forms and military training. Abbots also invited masters from all over China to visit the temple for the sole purpose of absorbing and combining boxing knowledge.
