Kung Fu, (or gongfu), is an ancient Chinese martial art originating in the sixth century a.d. at the Shaolin Temple. The history of Shaolin Kung Fu is a synthesis of fact, legend and folktale. Most sources agree that around 540 a.d., the Buddhist monk Bodhidharma, (Da Mo in Chinese), traveled from India to northern China. Arriving at Shaolin Temple, he was initially refused admittance. Undeterred, Da Mo sat down in a nearby cave and began to meditate. He remained in his cave for seven years, at which point the monks of Shaolin, amazed and humbled by Da Mo’s devotion, finally invited him into the temple to teach. What he discovered was that while the monks were eager to learn, their bodies were incapable of the physical demands of prolonged sitting the meditation required. To build their stamina, Da Mo devised a series of 18 movements – (symbolically linked to the movements of animals) – designed to strengthen the body, calm the mind and improve the flow of internal energy. As the monks began to practice these movements cooperatively, they developed increasing sensitivity to their partners’ energy, learning to turn that energy in a circle and bring it back to its source. While martial arts had certainly already existed in China, this was something new. This was the idea of diffusing an attacker’s energy with softness, and redirecting that attack. These movements became formalized in organized sequences, or forms, which would become living textbooks of the newly born Shaolin Kung Fu.

Over the centuries, many great Kung Fu masters created their own styles based on these principles, until today there are dozens, if not hundreds, of distinct systems of Kung Fu practiced throughout the world. At the Laughing Dragon Kung Fu Academy, we teach forms from a number of these systems, including Northern Shaolin Longfist, Northern Praying Mantis and Flower Boxing. Longfist, (changchuan), as the name implies, is characterized by long, reaching movements which improve circulation and increase the flexibility of the joints. It includes rapid striking and is known for its high acrobatic kicks. The Praying Mantis Kung Fu, (tanglangchuan), includes many grasping and throwing techniques in addition to its own arsenal of blocks, strikes and kicks. Flower Boxing, (huachuan), is known for its joint locks, (chin na), and restraints.

The movements of Kung Fu bring balance, not just to the body, but to the mind and spirit as well. Kung Fu is an excellent system of self defense and a fantastic whole body workout; and, beyond these, Kung Fu can become a way of life.