THE SPIRIT OF SHAOLIN

For over fifteen hundred years in the middle part of China (southwest of Beijing), a very special group of Buddhist monks made a temple as their home Here they created a way to enlightenment and originated Zen Buddhism. This temple is called the sacred Shaolin Temple.

Throughout their history, these men of peace have been devastated by wars, invasions, and the destruction of their sacred temple. In response, they developed a form of self-defense based on the observation of animal movement and their spiritual beliefs. This is the famous Shaolin Kung Fu, one of the main resources of all Chinese martial arts. The Chinese authority word for what has now become Kung Fu is wushu, which means “martial arts”. The term gongfu (Kung-fu) in Chinese can be roughly translated as “skill”. In this way wushu is a form of gonfu as it seeks to develop many skills. In the United States the term Kung fu has come to be used as a term for Chinese martial arts (wushu).

During this performance you will be astonished by the apparently superhuman feats performed by the cast of 28 monks. As a way of Zen Buddhist practices they will display some of the most unique Kung Fu skills ever seen. They will bring you to the state of enlightenment where mind, body, tranquility and awareness will be in complete harmony.

FACTS AND HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PERFORMANCE

1. The Opening: To begin this performance we will present you with a panoramic view of Shaolin Kung Fu and bring you the power of mind, body and soul channeled to create the Spirit of Shaolin.
   
   
2. Master Teaching: After a wandering monk named Bodhidharma crossed the sea from India in the 5th century, so many Buddhist masters then came to the Shaolin Temple and broadened the traditions of Zen Buddhism and Shaolin Kung Fu.
   
   
3. Children of Kung Fu: Shaolin Kung Fu is a lifetime practice. In order to gain the magic power of Shaolin Kung Fu, the Shaolin monks usually begin their training at the age of four or five.
   
   
4. The Form of Animal Imitation: One of the origins of Shaolin Kung Fu is the imitation of wild animals. The forms that will be performed are the frog, mantis, monkey, tiger and eagle.
   
   
5. Daily Practice: Practice and discipline are the essential parts of a Shaolin monk’s life. Whether in the coldest winter or the hottest summer, the discipline remains the same. This severe training is to develop the power of body, mind and spirit.
   
   
6. Practice of Qi Gong: What is most amazing about Shaolin Kung Fu is the mystic power, which can transform the body from flesh to iron. After many years of training, Qi Gong masters can generate energy and then concentrate that energy to certain parts of the body. This gives them the ability to take pain and remain unharmed.
   
   
7. Broadsword: The broadsword is considered to be the courage of all weapons, Broadsword’s vigor and power manifests the fearlessness and invincibility of the sword.
   
   
8. Whip: The whip is a tool used by shepherds. Shaolin monks developed the whip as a defense weapon, which turns its softness into great power.
   
   
9. Stick Technique: In ancient time the first weapon used by Shaolin monks was the stick. This collective piece has a broad range of defensive techniques, which date back one thousand years.
   
   
10. Eighteen Weapons: After one thousand years of development, Shaolin Kung Fu had reached its glorious time in the Ming Dynasty. The name of Shaolin became an undefeatable symbol. Today there are 18 different Shaolin weapons that are still being practiced as in ancient times.
    
    
11. Intoxicated Forms: Among the hundreds of Shaolin Kung Fu forms, the intoxicated fist, intoxicated sword and intoxicated stick are especially treasured by the Shaolin Kung Fu monks. The intoxicated state is when one is free from the psychological bondage. It is the stage closes to the Zen Buddhism practice. The philosophy belief is that one can be free from inhabitions and free from all the bondage of our minds.
    
    
12. Passing Through The Temple Gates: Not everyone that practices Kung Fu in the Shaolin Temple can become a formal Shaolin monk. After many years of training, only one who passes the physical and spiritual test can have the honor to be a warrior monk. This ritual actually is a battle called “Passing Through The Temple Gates”.

THE BEGINNING OF SHAOLIN AND KUNG FU

The first Temple on Mount Songshan at Dengfeng in Henan Province got its name from Shaolin quan or Shaolin chaun. Below the Wuru Peak at the western foot of Mount Song is a natural stone cave. This cave looks extremely ordinary and has nothing in appearance to be praiseworthy, but it was from this unattractive cave that the rich profound Zen of Buddhism was born.

It was in the 19th year of the Dynasty of Bei Wei (495 AD), an eminent Indian monk named Bada came all the way to China. Emperor Xiaowen built the Shaolin Temple in the forest of the Shaolin Mountain for Bada to settle down and do missionary work. Bada did not have great vitality and therefore made very little contribution to the Shaolin Temple.

In the third year of the reign of Emperor Xiacchang (527 AD), Bodhidharma (founder of Zen Buddhism), a wandering monk from India came to the Shaolin Temple. When he came to the Shaolin Temple, he was not sentimentally attached to the dignified sacred palaces, but alone went into the cave beneath the desolate and uninhabited Wuru Peak and sat before the cave wall for nine years. After nine years of facing the wall in meditation he seemed to have finally found enlightenment, understanding and tranquility.

The Shaolin Buddhist monks could not solve the problems of listlessness and tired limbs because of sitting for long periods of time in meditation. Understanding the problems that emerged by sitting in meditation. The Shaolin Buddhist monks decided that they needed to find a way to conquer the physical conditions. So the Shaolin Buddhists monks rose to stretch their limbs and practiced gongfu (Kung Fu), so to build strong and healthy bodies. Thus the unique Shaolin gungfu of the Chinese wushu circle gradually came into being.

THE ART OF SHAOLIN

Shaolin Kung Fu is not about violence, control or hurting others; it is about cultivating self-control and self-defense. The internal soft Shaolin Kung Fu emphasizes the breathing, flexibility and the development of the internal strength. In Chinese the internal strength is called “Qi”, which is the vital source of energy. “Qi” is the inner life energy that flows through the whole body like blood flows through the veins. Gong means the mastery of how to control the “Qi”. If one can center and control the “Qi”, the magic power will be created. In the performance three Shaolin Qi Gong Masters will display the myth of invulnerability.

To reach the state of enlightenment, meditation is to have deep stillness and tranquility. Therefore one can keep perfect balance between mind and body. If your heart could be pure as the fire of a candle, your mind could be simple as the smoke of incense. The way to enlightenment for a Zen practitioner is that in whatever you do, you do it with selflessness and fearlessness. Now you are on your way to enlightenment.

THE FIVE MAIN SHAOLIN TEMPLES

Henan: The first Shaolin Temple built during Northern Wei Dynasty in 19th calendar year of the reign of Emperor Taihe (495 AD) and is one of China’s most famous ancient temples. This is the temple that has been seen in many Chinese Kung Fu movies, and the one portrayed in the ABC-TV “Kung Fu” series with David Carradine in the 1970s.

Fujian: This temple was built around the same time as the Henan Temple, but was originally a mainstream Buddhist Temple until the early 1600s. This temple was integrated into the Shaolin order around 650 AD. The Fujian served as the “headquarters” during times when the Henan was either destroyed or under threat.

Wudang: The Wudang Temple was located in the politically unstable area near Manchuria and the Korean Peninsular. It was often being besieged or attacked and the monks there were very versed with the practical aspect of war, weaponry and defense. The Wudang temple was very old and integrated in Shaolin around 800 AD.

E’mei Shan: This temple is located in an inaccessible area of the Szechaun province and imported monks as it served as a medical temple. Very much like the other temples imported Kung Fu masters, the E’mei Shan Temple imported healers. This temple was intergraded into Shaolin order around (1500 AD). Today this temple serves as the conservation service headquarters for the bamboo forests of Szechuan and the research center for pandas.

Guangdong: The temple was built in the late 1700s as a Shaolin Temple. This temple was built in a mountain area overlooking the ocean near Shanghai, about 150 miles southwest of Fujian.

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1. Can you locate the temple that is closest to Korea?
2. What two temples are located near the ocean?
3. Which temple is located in an inaccessible area of the Szechaun province?
4. Did you learn anything by attending the performance? If so what did you learn How do you think discipline could improve areas of you life?

THOUGHTS ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE

After attending the performance and talking about your experience, take a moment to understand how this experience made you feel. You can talk with your teacher or friends about your interests and ideas that might help you to learn more. There are many resources to help you learn more about this special martial art form. Today there are many Shaolin martial art schools opening in the United States. Your local Library has many good books on the subject.

BUDDHISM

To study the way of the Buddha  is to study oneself.

 To study oneself  is to forget oneself.

To forget oneself

is to be enlightened by everything.

~Buddha

There are about 300 million Buddhist people around the world. The word comes from “Buddha”, which means “to awaken”. It has its origins about 2,500 years ago when Siddhartha Gotama, known as the Buddha, was himself awakened (enlightened) at the age of 35.

Siddhartha Gotama was born into a royal family in Lumbini, now located in Nepal. At 29, he realized that wealth and luxury did not guarantee happiness, so he explored the different teachings religions and philosophies of the day, to find the key to human happiness. After years of study and meditation he finally found “the middle path” and was enlightened. After enlightenment, the Buddha spent the rest of his life teaching the principles of Buddhism, called the Dhamma, or Truth, until his death at the age of 80.

Buddhism goes beyond religion and is more of a philosophy or way of life. It is a philosophy because philosophy, which means “love of wisdom” and the Buddhist path can be summed up as:

1. to lead a moral life,
2. to be mindful and aware of thoughts and actions, and
3.  to develop wisdom and understanding

Producers:   Zheng Heshui and Cao Xiaoning

Executive Producer:   John Regna 

Artistic Liason:   Goerge Kuo

Production Superviser:   Dana Blanc

Research Director:  Deborah Barnet

Director: Cao Xiaoning

Executive Directors: Li Wei and Gao Liting

Rehearsal: WenYana

Composer: Ba Tu

Set Designer: Guan Jingjun

Consultants: Wang Zhanyang and Wang Zhantong

Coach: Chen Guoxun and Pang Jianxun