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Claims that Shaolin Kung Fu is independent of any foreign influence, have been made complicated by the traditional Shaolin temple claims and the claims of a majority of martial arts historians. Both versions agree on India being a vital influence on Shaolin temple's approach to institutionalized martial arts. However, both these versions have seen a measure of negationism from a microscopic community of martial arts historians during the recent past.

Buddhabhadra (Chinese: 跋陀; pinyin: Bátuó) was an Indian dhyana master who was the founding abbot of Shaolin Monastery and the teacher of Sengchou. Monastery records state that Sengchou was one of the two of its very first monks, the other being Huiguang. Sengchou was an expert in the martial arts. The Taishō Tripiṭaka documents Sengchou's skill with the tin staff.

The foreign influence acting as a catalyst, however, should not be confused as indroduction of martial arts to China. Organised martial traditions such as Shuāi Jiāo predate the establishment of the Shaolin Monastery by centuries.

The Indian influence

Establishment of the Shaolin temple under Batuo

According to Chinese texts such as, Deng Feng County Recording (Deng Feng Xian Zhi), a Buddhist monk name Batuo (Chinese: 跋陀; pinyin: Bátuó), came to China for preaching Buddhism in 464 A.D. Thirty-one years later, the Shaolin Temple was built in 495 A.D., by the order of Wei Xiao Wen emperor (471-500 A.D.). The temple originally consisted of a round dome used as a shrine and a platform where Indian and Chinese monks translated Indian Buddhist scriptures into native Chinese languages.

Buddhabhadra was an Indian dhyana master who was the founding abbot of Shaolin Monastery and the teacher of it's monks, including Sengchou and Huiguang. Monastery records state Sengchou and Huiguang were two of its very first monks, both expert in the martial arts. The Taishō Tripiṭaka documents Sengchou's skill with the tin staff.

Bodhidharma

Bodhidharma, a Buddhist monk, arrived in China during the 5th century. He stayed and taught for several years in the Shaolin temple.

Excerpts from author Simmone Kuo's Long Life Good Health Through Tai-Chi Chuan, summing up his contributions are mentioned below :-

Finding that the sedentary life often left the monks weak both in body and mind,Ta Mo decided to encourage physical discipline as well as meditation. He taught streching exercises from the Indian tradition of Yoga with which he was familiar. On their part, the Chinese monks were reminded of the native fighting techniques from their youth. A group of eighteen particulary dedicated monks then developed and refined a system of streching exercises and movements of what is now the core of Shao-lin Chuan, the source for all subsequent martial arts, including Tai Chi Chuan. The Chinese revere the eighteen monks to this day and venerate them as Lohans.

This view is endorsed in many forms by the martial arts community and the Shaolin temple authorities alike. Grandmaster Wong Kiew Kit, 4th generation successor of the Southern Shaolin Monastery writes :-

It was during this time that the Venerable Bodhidharma came from India to China to spread Buddhism. In 527 CE he settled down in the Shaolin monastary in Henan province, and inspired the development of Shaolin Kung Fu. This marked a watershed in the history of of Kung Fu, because it led to a change of course, as Kung Fu became institutionalized. Before this, martial arts were known only in general sense. It was only after the inception of Shaolin Kung Fu that names were used to label various schools like Taijiquan, Bagua, Wing Choon, Eagle Claw, Praying Mantion and so on. Indeed, Kung Fu, as we understand today, started from the Shaolin.

Chinese martial arts, like martial arts of Greece and India, existed before the arrivals of Bodhidharma. Bodhidharma's status in martial arts is due to his role in the institutionalization of Chinese martial arts, presumably by introducing excercises, meditation, discipline, newer techniques etc. to the native fighting methods during his tenure at the Shaolin monastary.

It has also been suggested that these techniques which are the foundation for many martial arts today were never originally intended to be utilized as methods of fighting but were a manner in which the monks could attain enlightenment while preserving their bodies' health. The extensive development of these techniques by the Chinese monks over centuries led to modern day Shaolin Kung Fu.

Visible signs of Indian presence at the Shaolin temple

The Shaolin Temple mural

The Shaolin Temple in China contains fresco murals with dark-skinned, not black, but similar in skin tone to Indians, monks teaching Chinese monks fighting forms. On the mural that survived three fires between 1644 to 1927, it says in Chinese script "Tenjiku Naranokaku" translating as "the fighting techniques to train the body which come from India ...

Cited in support of the Indian progeniture of Shaolin kung fu is a fresco painted during the Qing Dynasty (1644–1912) depicting light-skinned and dark-skinned monks sparring, inscribed and translated in Japanese as "Tenjiku Naranokaku," which translates as "the fighting techniques to train the body which come from India..."

Bodhidharma and Zen

Bodhidharma is associated with the idea that spiritual, intellectual and physical excellence are an indivisible whole necessary for enlightenment. Such an approach to enlightenment ultimately proved highly attractive to the Samurai class in Japan, who made Zen their way of life, following their encounter with the martial-arts-oriented Zen Rinzai School introduced to Japan by Eisai in the 12th century.

Negationism and it's extent

Like the Bible or the Koran, the legend of Bodhidharma has also been subjected to negationism by a microscopic section of the martial arts community. However, these attempts have been rejected by the larger martial arts community including authors, practitioners and major news institutions.

Martial arts authors across the world, including June Lordi, Charles C. Goodin, Hidetaka Nishiyama, Cezar Borkowski, Simmone Kuo, Robin L. Rielly, Howard Reid, Liow Kah Joon and Kah Joon Liow, Annellen M Simpkins and C Alexander Simpkins, Bruce Thomas, Thomas D. Seabourne and Yeon Hwan Park, Steve De Masco, Albert Low, Stephen Kuei, Pat Zukeran, Ervin de Castro, BJ Oropeza and Ron Rhodes, Christopher Wren, Howard W. French, Pete Hessler, Prof. J. Roe, P. E. Katzer, Joyotpaul Chaudhari and Tony Sims have rejected the revisionist claims.

The revisionist claims have also been rejected by legendary martial arts practitioners and authorities, including Chojun Miyagi, Funakoshi Gichin, Wong Kiew Kit and Tadashi Nakamura.

In addition, reputed organizations such as the British Broadcasting Corporation, the New York Times, and the Discovery Channel to name a few, have also rejected the revisionist claims.

References

1. Broughton, Jeffrey L. (1999). The Bodhidharma Anthology: The Earliest Records of Zen. Berkeley: University of California Press. p. 109. ISBN 0-520-21972-4.
2. Canzonieri, Salvatore (1998). "History of Chinese Martial Arts: Jin Dynasty to the Period of Disunity". Han Wei Wushu. 3 (9). {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
3. Broughton, Jeffrey L. (1999). The Bodhidharma Anthology: The Earliest Records of Zen. Berkeley: University of California Press. p. 109. ISBN 0-520-21972-4.
4. Canzonieri, Salvatore (1998). "History of Chinese Martial Arts: Jin Dynasty to the Period of Disunity". Han Wei Wushu. 3 (9). {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)