The style of Kung Fu that I study originated in Northern China, in the Shaolin Monastery. It’s been passed down from teacher to student for a long time, and its true origins and history are shrouded in some mystery. I’ve found that the influence of the Shaolin Monastery’s surroundings is of little significance when it comes to both geography and the surrounding plants and animals. I found that customs are passed down from generation to generation, and that multiple philosophies contributed to the development of Northern Shaolin Kung Fu.
The first conclusion my research has led me to is that while the geography had some influence over the development of Kung Fu, that influence was negligible. In one of his lectures at Peter Kwok’s Kung Fu Academy, Sifu Randy Elia stated that the style of Northern Shaolin Kung Fu taught at the school uses deep stances and wide, sweeping movements. This is because the northern temples had enough space to have a strong footing (Elia, 1). A lot of the forms take advantage of the large space and firm ground that surrounds the Shaolin monastery, which is “nestled between two mountains” (“Ming-Period” 367). Hua Chuan I, for example, takes up about fifteen square feet, and the form accompaniment to the weapon Bo Staff takes up about twenty square feet. Meir Shahar talks about the Shaolin Monastery’s placement in both of the articles I’ve cited. He mentions that the Shaolin Monastery was based in the mountains, and when they were attacked, only the Numinous Stupa remained because “The mountain spirits blessed it..” (Epigraphy, 19). This shows that the geography, namely the mountains, had an effect on the development of Northern Shaolin Kung Fu, but did not affect its development.
The plants and animals tha...
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...ces, forms, customs, etc. are passed down from generation to generation. Plants and animals had very little effect on the development of Northern Shaolin Kung Fu, and neither did the geography surrounding the Shaolin Monastery. Most of the philosophy that influences Northern Shaolin Kung Fu is Confucian philosophy.
Works Cited
Elia, Randy. Peter Kwok’s Kung Fu Academy. Masonic Temple Lodge, Westwood, NJ. 17 March 2014. n.p.
Henning, Stanley E. "The Chinese Martial Arts in Historical Perspective." Military Affairs 45.4 (1981): 173-79. JSTOR. Web. 5 Mar. 2014.
Shahar, Meir. "Epigraphy, Buddhist Historiography, and Fighting Monks: The Case of The Shaolin Monastery." Asia Major 13.2 (2000): 15-36. JSTOR. Web. 5 Mar. 2014.
Shahar, Meir. "Ming-Period Evidence of Shaolin Martial Practice." Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies 61.2 (2001): 359-413. JSTOR. Web. 5 Mar. 2014.
The film’s protagonist is Po, a panda that, from the beginning, does not appear to be capable of doing anything heroic. As in the hero myth outline stated by Leger, Po comes from a “mundane world, doing mundane things” (Seger 312). He works in his father’s noodle shop and although he admires those that practice Kung Fu, he does not have any martial arts training of his own. But Po is content with
There are many Chinese Philosophies within the world, including Confucianism, Daoism, and Legalism, in which they have all originated as a result of the collapse of the Zhou dynasty in China, however, they do not all have the same beliefs.
The author travels to China as an English teacher for the Hunan Medical School. There he stayed for two years picking up many anecdotes along the way. The author already had spent a large amount of his life studying Chinese language and the martial arts. However, when he arrives in China he meets teachers who have dedicated their entire lives to perfecting a particular art or skill, whether it be martial arts or calligraphy.
Smarr, Janet. “Emperor Wu”. Making of the Modern World 12. Ledden Auditorium, La Jolla, CA. 17 Feb. 2012. Lecture.
Nancy Chen . “Panda Kung Fu’s His Way Around The World”. US China Today. Published June 20, 2008. Accessed November 10, 2013.
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Next, since the village is located up high in the mountains, the palace and the Kung Fu warriors training space is surrounded by nature and its beauty. Nature is a major thought in Taoism. “Manifest plainness, embrace simplicity, reduce selfishness, have few desires” (Lau Tzu). The palace is in a secluded area and a plain design that is simple just as the teachings of Lau Tzu says to have in order to be a tru...
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Goodrich, L. Carrington (1959). A Short History Of The Chinese People. New York: Harper &
- - -. “Taoist Tai Chi Society .” ABC-CLIO eBook Collection. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Feb. 2012. .
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Nivison, David S. The Ways of Confucianism: Investigations in Chinese Philosophy. Ed. Bryan W. Van Norden. Chicago and La Salle, IL: Open Court, 1996.
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The Web. The Web. 18 Mar. 2014. The 'Standard' of the 'Standard'. " The Buddhist World: Lay Buddhist's Guide to the Monk's Rules. "
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