Canonical Texts of Shaolin Monastery
Ancient Heritage of Shaolin | Training Methods of Shaolin Monks
Introduction - Ten Precepts of Shaolin Warrior Monks - Requirements to a Shaolin Fighter - 18 Wonderful Methods of Shaolin Monks - 72 Secret Arts of Shaolin - Qi Gong - Secrets of the Use of Breath-Qi in Shaolin Practice
Introduction.
An excerpt from Treatise "The Secrets of Pugilistic Combat of Shaolin Monastery"
"The Secrets of Pugilistic Combat of Shaolin Monastery" contain records which say that since ancient times late in the night, when it was quiet like in a primeval forest and slumber reined around, fighting monks, full of combat spirit, went to the Room Fatang of the Hall of Thousand Buddhas to do fighting exercises.
In the Hall of Thousand Buddhas on the Ming Column were hung up sand-bags and along the northern wall stood vessels full of corn, sand and iron filings. Some fighting monks guided by a monk-tutor trained their fingers, for this purpose they poked them into corn, sand and iron filings. The others stroke at the men of woods with naked hands. Besides, four groups of young monks sat in a posture of the tiger and trained Sin I Ba (mastering the Heart and the Mind). At that time the happenings in the Fatang Room could agitate and frighten the brave man of courage.
The monks holding a brick in their left hand stroke at it with their right hand and the brick was broken into two halves with a crack. Some easily broke solid stones into pieces with their "iron" fists and twisted around their waist iron rods as if those rods were strings; they looked like the Eight Wizards crossing the sea, because each of them was permeated with divine spiritual power. All monks stubbornly trained, sweat was running on their backs, some had bleeding broken fingers, but nevertheless they went on training themselves with resolution and eagerness.
Thanks to such persistent and incessant training during ten years one could strike through the wall a round hole. Twenty-year old fighters were able to break a brick with their hand, fists of thirty-year old fighters were as strong as metal and they could break a stone into small pieces. Forty-year olds were so strong that they could break down a beam. At fifty, in spite of their advanced years, fighters continued their training with inflexible will. Even at sixty, seventy or eighty they trained each day. First, they tempered their body to resist diseases and, second, until extreme old age they enjoyed health and viability, put off senility and prolonged their life.
In the Hall of Thousand Buddhas on the Ming Column were hung up sand-bags and along the northern wall stood vessels full of corn, sand and iron filings. Some fighting monks guided by a monk-tutor trained their fingers, for this purpose they poked them into corn, sand and iron filings. The others stroke at the men of woods with naked hands. Besides, four groups of young monks sat in a posture of the tiger and trained Sin I Ba (mastering the Heart and the Mind). At that time the happenings in the Fatang Room could agitate and frighten the brave man of courage.
The monks holding a brick in their left hand stroke at it with their right hand and the brick was broken into two halves with a crack. Some easily broke solid stones into pieces with their "iron" fists and twisted around their waist iron rods as if those rods were strings; they looked like the Eight Wizards crossing the sea, because each of them was permeated with divine spiritual power. All monks stubbornly trained, sweat was running on their backs, some had bleeding broken fingers, but nevertheless they went on training themselves with resolution and eagerness.
Thanks to such persistent and incessant training during ten years one could strike through the wall a round hole. Twenty-year old fighters were able to break a brick with their hand, fists of thirty-year old fighters were as strong as metal and they could break a stone into small pieces. Forty-year olds were so strong that they could break down a beam. At fifty, in spite of their advanced years, fighters continued their training with inflexible will. Even at sixty, seventy or eighty they trained each day. First, they tempered their body to resist diseases and, second, until extreme old age they enjoyed health and viability, put off senility and prolonged their life.
