Kung Fu fighters from the Shaolin Temple revealed in-house rituals and how they master martial arts. By K Bhardwaj
We all have known and heard of Shaolin Temple, a Buddhist sacred place in China, which not only preaches the religious practices of the highest order but also widely recognised for the Kung Fu practitioners. In Capital recently, a Kung Fu show was staged at Siri Fort Auditorium, jointly organised by the Embassy of China and India China Economic and Cultural Council, wherein a warrior troupe from the Temple showcased some amazing forms of Kung Fu. “The Chinese and Indian connection ties together with Buddhism, so this performance was to showcase the Indian audience what goes inside the temple and how the Buddhist teachings preach peace and equality, and our teachings are based on that,” said Yan Zhuang, the head of the troupe.
The 14 performances showcased different boxing styles, traditional inside practices taught at the temple, fighting with Chinese traditional weapons, thumbing fist and group fighting — the traditional custom of Shaolin Temple when apprentices finishes the course and bids farewell to the master, they have to fight against the group and find a way out. One of the pieces was Eight-piece Brocade. It is one of the most excellent body healthy exercises from ancient times. “Ancient people used to use silk to symbolise its exquisite feature. Eight pieces of action is as beautiful and submissive as silk. It combines the Chinese medical treatment of Yin Yang Five Elements and meridian theory,” explained Yan.
The fighters also presented traditional Shaolin long-style boxing. Shaolin traditional fist has about history of 1,000 year since South and North dynasty. It’s the outcome of the combination of history, culture and Buddhism. “It has meaning far beyond the war battle and has become national treasure connecting Zen culture as well,” he said. According to the performers, Kung Fu is a way of life and needs strict discipline to follow. “We practise for several hours everyday to perfect our steps and action. You need to give up on everything to master the art of Kung Fu,” Yan said.
Two of the fighters also did Kung Fu using the two fingers. In this lesser-known skill, the strength of the whole body is absorbed by the two fingers. Professionals who have learnt this art have the two fingers as hard as steel. “It is the magic weapon used against the enemy and is also known as ‘The mysterious skill of Shaolin Kung fu’,” he said. We are trying to strengthen the cultural dialogue between the two nations. There should be more people to people contact. ICCR has also organised a festival in China showing Indian cultural elements like yoga, food, spirituality, festivities et al. Through all our efforts, we want to create a conducive environment where people can grow amicable relations from both the sides,” said Zhang Zhihong, cultural counsellor, Embassy of China in India.
Among several performances, the drunk-style Kung Fu was quite intriguing. Shaolin drunken style is the movement after drinking alcohol that takes the enemy by surprise. This style focuses on looking, gazing and indulging to express how drunken the monk is, with the purpose of confusing the enemy. During the show, eighteen shaolin weapons were used such as broadsword, spear, sword, and staff. These weapons belonged to different dynasties. The final performance was a group fighting at the Shaolin Temple Gate.
photos Sanjeev Kumar