User:Liu Jiaqi

Hello! My name is Liu Jiaqi. I come from Henan Province. Having studied in Changsha for four years, I'm a half Changshaer. I'm a student majoring in translation and interpreting, though struggling to battle with AI now. But I'm confident with my language ability(not serious)😅🥹. I like cooking, because cooking makes me feel peaceful. When cooking, I focus on only one step on my hand. And enjoying the delicious dishes cooked by myself is also wonderful. To be honest, I'm a very introverted person so it takes me a long time to develop a deep relationship. But I'm really happy to make friends with someone.

Final Paper

Shaolin Kungfu

1.Introduction

   Shaolin Kungfu boasts a long history. Through evolution and development across dynasties, it has formed a cultural system within the specific Buddhist environment of the Shaolin Temple of Songshan Mountain. Relying on Chan Buddhism, it fully embodies a belief in the supernatural power of Buddhism, with the core concept of the combination of Chan Buddhism with a unique system of martial arts. The Shaolin Kungfu system is comprehensive, with complex techniques and diverse skills. It is one of the Chinese martial arts schools with the longest history, the most categories, and the largest system. Throughout Chinese history, Shaolin Kungfu has played significant economic, social, and cultural roles.

2.Historical Evolution

Shaolin Kungfu has a history of over 1,500 years, forming a rich martial arts system and profound cultural connotation. It originated in the 19th year of Taihe during the Northern Wei Dynasty (495 AD), when Emperor Xiaowen established the Shaolin Temple for the Indian monk Batuo. Batuo became the first abbot, and one of his disciples, Chou, pioneered martial arts practice at Shaolin Temple. During the turmoil at the end of the Sui Dynasty, temples had little connection with the secular world and received little protection from rulers. Monks practiced martial arts for self-defense and contributed to the establishment of the Tang Dynasty. The outstanding contributions of Shaolin monks in the six major campaigns to quell rebellions in the early Tang Dynasty also laid the foundation for the Tang rulers' promotion of Buddhism. Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin, granted Shaolin Temple 40 hectares of fertile land and allowed Shaolin monks to train martial arts, providing a favorable policy environment for the development of Shaolin Kungfu. However, the growing trend of monks practicing martial arts threatened the Tang Dynasty's rule. Emperor Wuzong of Tang vigorously suppressed Buddhism, destroying many temples during the "Huichang Persecution of Buddhism," forcing monks to resume secular life, which temporarily inhibited the development of Shaolin Kungfu. By the Song Dynasty, Shaolin Temple's status as the ancestral monastery of Chan Buddhism was established, and the concept of "the combination of Chan Buddhism with a unique system of martial arts" became the mainstream of Shaolin Kungfu. During the Jin and Yuan dynasties, Shaolin Temple established the patriarchal clan system, with the master-disciple relationship as its foundation. Whether a disciple passed martial arts assessments largely depended on the master, integrating the monastic master-disciple relationship into the secular patriarchal clan system. In the Ming Dynasty, Shaolin Kungfu flourished, with Shaolin monks invited by the imperial court to participate in military operations six times. The Qing Dynasty prohibited Han Chinese from practicing martial arts, causing setbacks and overall decline in Shaolin martial arts development. It was not until the 1980s, when the destroyed buildings of Shaolin Temple were gradually reconstructed, that the value of Shaolin Kungfu was rerecognized, leading to its revival.

3.Cultural System

The origin of the technical system lies in culture. The cultural background of Shaolin Kungfu is Buddhism, and it stems from a belief in the supernatural power of Buddhism. The "Faith in Kinnara King (originally called 'Narayan King Faith')" belongs to the Buddhist belief in the Kwan-yin. Jinluona King has been revered by generations of Shaolin monks as the "Martial Sage," demonstrating that Shaolin Kungfu shares the same roots as Buddhism.

Shaolin Kungfu is not merely a technical system but also integrates Chan thought, with Shaolin Temple serving as its spatial foundation. The Shaolin Kungfu system embodies the Chan values of "harboring compassion and helping sentient beings sail to the world of joy" while the "the combination of Chan Buddhism with martial arts" reflects the integration of its technical and cultural dimensions. “Shaolin Kungfu is one of the methods for learning Buddhism and understanding Chan, also known as ‘Martial Chan’. Practitioners enhance their physical capabilities through martial arts techniques while inwardly contemplating the essential principles of Shaolin Chan Buddhism. This process elevates the rational understanding of Shaolin Kungfu to the philosophical height of a Chan-informed worldview.” [1] Shaolin Kungfu is not merely about physical techniques; its movements are also a way to achieve spiritual fulfillment. Thus, the skills of Shaolin Kungfu embody the wisdom of Chan Buddhism. It requires practitioners not only to master the technical essentials but also to achieve clarity of mind, attain "mental stability," and comprehend Chan wisdom.

Shaolin Kungfu is cultivated through the interplay of movement and stillness in Chan, where movement contains stillness and stillness contains movement. It emphasizes purifying the mind during practice, maintaining "right mindfulness," and nurturing the inner self through "Chan meditation." It focuses on eliminating distracting thoughts and achieving inner peace to cultivate internal energy, ultimately enabling the detection of enemy intentions in combat and acting preemptively.

“The training objective of Shaolin warrior monks is "to strengthen the body, defend Buddhism, protect through lawful means, and endure adversity to save the world.”[2] Therefore, Chan martial arts does not seek to compete for superiority. The goal of practicing martial arts is solely to safeguard Buddhist teachings, and meet personal self-defense and survival needs, while embodying Buddhist compassionate ideals. All Shaolin monks who practice martial arts must adhere to the "Ten Commandments of Shaolin Martial Arts Practice," which states that martial arts should "only be used for self-defense, avoiding acts of aggression," and emphasize that warrior monks "should deeply embody the compassionate actions of Buddhism." Thus, Shaolin martial arts integrate the ideals of Buddhist compassion and active salvation.

One of the reasons for the initial formation of Shaolin Kungfu was that temple monks, due to long periods of retreat like "sitting meditation," experienced physical numbness and needed a set of exercises to stretch their muscles and strengthen their bodies. Bodhidharma, the founder of Chan Buddhism, created a set of boxing techniques for monks to practice in the morning, which became the prototype of Shaolin Kungfu. Shaolin Kungfu aligns with the laws of human movement, where actions are interconnected and integrated with the ancient Chinese concept of yin and yang. It employs a dialectical mode of thinking to grasp the laws of things, pursuing "the combination of movement and stillness, the balance between Yin and Yang, the complement of toughness and softness, and the inclusion of the spirit and the form." The most famous principle is the "Six Harmonies": harmony of shoulders and hip, elbows and knees, hands and fee, mind and intention, intention and Qi, Qi and force. The ancient Chinese idea of "harmony between humans and nature" holds that what aligns most with natural laws is the most reasonable.

4.Technical Practice

Shaolin Kungfu is a martial arts system, not merely a "boxing style" or "exercise method." Its system is vast and complex, divided into two major categories: boxing techniques and weaponry. Additionally, there are 72 unique skills, as well as specialized techniques such as Qi Gong, grappling, wrestling, disjointing, attacking a vital point of the body etc. Shaolin Kungfu initially consisted mostly of practical combat techniques but began evolving toward skills in the late Ming Dynasty, forming and standardizing numerous skills.

Shaolin boxing techniques comprise over 300 styles, with more than 200 documented today. They have a long history, initially focused on practical combat, evolving by absorbing the essence of Chinese martial arts. The earliest extant text introducing Shaolin boxing techniques, The Boxing Classic, was left by the Ming Dynasty boxing master Monk Xuanji. Major Shaolin boxing styles include: Xiaohong Boxing, Shaolin Dahong Quan, Luohan Boxing, Meihua Boxing, Datongbi Quan, Xinyi Boxing, Shaolin Zui Boxing, etc. Each style includes different movements and techniques, such as "Taking the Cup with Both Hands," "Drinking Three Cups in Succession," and "Li Bai Drunk" in Shaolin Zui Boxing. These technique names are vivid and rich in Chinese cultural connotations.

Shaolin weaponry is also diverse, with the saying of "eighteen kinds of weapons." It includes three main types: staff, broadsword, and sword, as well as tridents, spades, single crutch, nine-section whips, three-section staffs, etc. The staff is the most widely known weapon in Shaolin Kungfu and the earliest used in its formative period. Major staff techniques include Shaolin Fenghuo Staff, Shaolin Yinshou Staff, and Shaolin Dayecha Staff. Broadswords gradually became part of Shaolin weaponry as warrior monks participated in wars. Representative ones include Shaolin Chantou Broadsword and Shaolin Kunlun Double Broadswords. Shaolin sword techniques formed during the Ming Dynasty and are also highly representative, including Shaolin Qiankun Sword and Shaolin Meihua Sword.

The practice of Shaolin Kungfu is primarily transmitted orally. The core is that the masters teach disciples by personal example as well as oral instruction and disciples study diligently. Thus, cultivation relies on the master's guidance and the disciple's enlightenment. Practitioners of Shaolin martial arts generally progress through three levels. The first level involves mastering techniques, refining external form, and enhancing physical fitness—summarized as "learning the external form, training the external shape." The second level transforms the tangible into the intangible, subduing enemies imperceptibly: "striking without visible form, visible form is not true ability." The third level focuses on the "battle of the mind" rather than the "battle of form," using "mind techniques" to overcome opponents.

5.Modern Inheritance

The inheritance of Shaolin Kungfu faces a crisis in modern times, mainly due to the following reasons: First, the use of modern firearms has rendered Shaolin Kungfu, which is based on staffs, broadswords, and swords, obsolete in military combat. Second, the fast-paced modern lifestyle clashes with the Chan-infused Shaolin Kungfu system. People's learning of Shaolin Kungfu often stops at "boxing techniques" and "skills," neglecting its underlying cultural connotations. Third, unlike other traditional ethnic sports, Shaolin Kungfu is associated with Buddhism. As material living standards rise, fewer people adhere to Buddhism, affecting the transmission of Shaolin Kungfu. Fourth, Shaolin Temple's current status as a cultural tourist destination disrupts its cultural ecosystem.

In protecting Shaolin Kungfu, both the government and Shaolin Temple have made efforts. "Society's protective measures for Shaolin Kungfu are mostly driven by religious, cultural heritage preservation, and tourism development objectives." [4] These include repairing and protecting the temple's architectural heritage, demolishing irregular and incompatible structures, preserving the temple's ecological environment, and organizing events like the International Shaolin Wushu Festival to enhance its influence. Shaolin Temple has contributed significantly to protecting Shaolin Kungfu through brand maintenance, data collection, scientific research, and promotion. It has compiled and published numerous works on Shaolin martial arts, established the Shaolin Culture Research Institute, formed the Shaolin Kungfu Monk Corps, and registered the trademarks "Shaolin" and "Shaolin Temple" as legal entities. These efforts have made notable contributions to the contemporary preservation of Shaolin Kungfu. However, it is undeniable that the protection of Shaolin Kungfu remains a longterm challenge.

6.Conclusion

In summary, Shaolin Kungfu is a cultural system that integrates Chan wisdom with martial arts skills. Through a millennium of evolution, it has formed the core concept of "the combination of Chan Buddhism with a unique system of martial arts" and a comprehensive technical system. Despite fluctuations throughout history, it has consistently carried the spiritual essence of Buddhist compassion and salvation. Facing modern inheritance challenges, while various measures have been taken to protect it, maintaining its cultural essence and practical lineage remains an urgent and profound issue for the present era.

References：

[1]永信,阿德.禅武合一(上)——少林功夫[J].法音,2008,(07):28-38.DOI:10.16805/j.cnki.11-1671/b.2008.07.010.

[2]刘泽亮,田青青.以武演禅:少林功夫的宗教文化内涵分析[J].世界宗教研究,2007,(04):37-41.

[3]王龙飞,虞重干.非物质文化遗产视野下少林功夫的保护[J].武汉体育学院学报,2008,(04):58-60+81.DOI:10.15930/j.cnki.wtxb.2008.04.015.

[4]永信.禅武合一(下)——少林功夫[J].法音,2008,(08):31-48+69.DOI:10.16805/j.cnki.11-1671/b.2008.08.008.

[5]万瑜.辩证看待“少林寺”与“少林功夫”的相依性关系[J].沈阳体育学院学报,2010,29(01):121-124.

[6]许彩艳.唐朝少林功夫的历史发展探源[J].兰台世界,2013,(31):143-144.DOI:10.16565/j.cnki.1006-7744.2013.31.089.

[7]沈小乐.以武参禅少林功夫的精髓[J].中国宗教,2014,(05):67-69.

[8]http://www.shaolin.org.cn/news/84/93.html

Terms：

少林功夫 Shaolin Kungfu

禅宗Chan Buddhism

神力信仰 a belief in the supernatural power

禅武合一 the combination of Chan Buddhism with a unique system of martial arts

套路 skill

会昌灭佛 Huichang Persecution of Buddhism

禅宗祖庭 the ancestral monastery of Chan Buddhism

宗法门头制度 patriarchal clan system

观世音菩萨信仰belief in the Kwan-yin

慈悲为怀，普度众生 harboring compassion and helping sentient beings sail to the world of joy

动静结合, 阴阳平衡, 刚柔相济, 神形兼备 the combination of movement and stillness, the balance between Yin and Yang, the complement of toughness and softness, and the inclusion of the spirit and the form

六合 Six Harmonies

天人合一 harmony between humans and nature

Questions:

1.What is the core philosophy of Shaolin Kungfu? In which dynasty and specific year did it originate?

2.During the Tang Dynasty, why did the Shaolin Temple receive imperial rewards and support? What specific reward was granted?

3.Within the cultural connotation of “the combination of Chan Buddhism with martial arts” what is the fundamental purpose of practicing Shaolin Kungfu?

4. What are the two main categories of Shaolin Kungfu’s technical system? Which weapon is the most representative and the earliest to develop?

5. What are the four main reasons cited in the paper for the modern crisis in the transmission of Shaolin Kungfu?

Answers:

1. The core philosophy of Shaolin Kungfu is “the unity of Chan (Zen) and martial arts.” It originated during the Northern Wei Dynasty in the 19th year of the Taihe era, which is 495 AD.

2. Due to its outstanding contributions in six major campaigns during the early Tang Dynasty, the Shaolin Temple was rewarded by Emperor Taizong Li Shimin. The specific reward included 40 qing of fertile land and permission for Shaolin monks to train martial arts.

3. The fundamental purpose is “to strengthen the body, defend Buddhism, protect through lawful means, and endure adversity to save the world.”

4. The technical system is mainly divided into two categories: boxing (quanfa) and weaponry. The most representative and earliest developed weapon is the staff (gun).

5. The four reasons are:

The use of modern firearms has pushed Shaolin Kungfu out of the military domain.

The fast-paced modern lifestyle leads people to neglect its cultural essence.

A decline in Buddhist belief affects its transmission.

The opening of the Shaolin Temple as a tourist site has disrupted its original cultural ecology.

期末论文

少林功夫

1.引言

少林功夫历史悠久，经过历朝演变与发展，在嵩山少林寺这一特定佛教文化环境中形成了少林功夫文化体系，它以佛教禅宗流派为依托，充分体现了佛教神力信仰，以禅武合一为核心理念。少林功夫体系完备，技法复杂，套路多样。是中国武术各个流派中, 历史悠久, 门类最多、体系最大的一个门派。少林功夫在中国历朝历代都发挥着重要的经济、社会、文化功能。

2.历史演进

少林功夫至今已有1500多年的历史，形成了丰富的武术体系和深厚的文化内涵。少林功夫最早起源于北魏太和十九年（495年），孝文帝为印度高僧跋陀敕建少林寺。跋陀便成为第一代住持，他招收徒弟稠开创了少林寺习武的先河。隋末战乱，寺院因与“尘世”联系较少，收到统治者的庇护较少，僧人们修习武术以自保，并为唐朝的建立做出贡献，初唐六大平乱战役中少林寺和尚的卓越贡献也奠定了唐朝统治者推崇佛教的基础。唐太宗李世民赐予少林寺良田40顷，并允许少林和尚练兵，这为少林功夫的发展提供了良好的政策环境。但是僧人习武之风日渐盛行威胁到了唐王朝的统治基础，唐武宗便大力“灭佛”，“会昌灭佛”事件中毁掉了大量寺院，僧人也被迫还俗，少林功夫的发展一度收到抑制。到宋代，少林寺禅宗祖庭地位确立，“禅武合一”也成为少林功夫的主流。金元两朝，少林寺创立了寺院宗法门头制度，其中最基本的是师徒关系，徒弟武功考核是否通过主要取决于师父，这将寺院内部的师徒关系纳入到世俗亲缘宗法组织结构中。明朝时期，少林功夫蓬勃发展，少林武僧6次受朝廷邀请参与军事行动。清代禁止汉民习武，少林寺武术的发展遇到了挫折，整体有所衰落。直到20世纪80年代，少林寺被毁建筑开始陆续重建，少林功夫的价值才又重新被重视，逐渐复兴。

3.文化体系

技术体系的发源，根基都在文化，少林功夫形成的文化背景是佛教思想，少林功夫则源于佛教神力信仰。“紧罗那王信仰（最初称‘那罗延王信仰’）”属于佛教观世音菩萨信仰，“紧罗那王”又被历代少林武僧称为“武圣”，所以少林功夫与佛教同根同源。

广为流传的有“拳禅一体，武寺一家”的说法，意思是少林功夫并不只是技术体系，其中还融会贯通了禅宗思想，少林寺则是少林功夫形成的空间依托。少林功夫体系贯穿了禅宗“慈悲为怀，普度众生”的价值取向，“禅武合一”则体现了少林功夫技术维度和文化维度的统一。“少林功夫是学佛修禅的法门之一, 又称 ‘武术禅’。修习者在用武术技艺锻炼体能的同时, 在内心深处冥思少林禅宗要旨, 从而使少林功夫的理性认识上升到禅学人生观的高度。”[1]少林功夫并不只是拳脚功夫，其动作也是一种让人心灵圆满的方式，因此少林功夫的套路拳术本就是禅宗智慧的体现。并且它要求修习者在修炼的过程中不仅能掌握功夫的技术要义，更能明心见性，做到“心定”，领悟禅宗智慧。

少林功夫同样是在禅的动与静中涵养修习的，动中有静，静中有动。它非常强调在修炼时净化内心，守住“正念”，以“禅定”来涵养内心，强调不动念和内心的平静，以此来修养内功，最后在战斗中觉察敌人意图，察敌先机而后动。

“少林武僧的习武宗旨是‘强健体魄、自卫护法和忍辱救世’”[2]因此，禅宗功夫并不追求争强好胜，修习功夫的目的也只是为了“护法”，即保护佛法，以及满足自身自卫生存需求，同时贯穿着佛教慈悲救世思想。少林寺凡习武的僧人都需遵守“少林习武戒约十条”，其中提到修习武术“只可备以自卫，切忌呈血气之私”，并且指出武僧“宜深体佛门悲悯之举”。因此少林武术是融合了佛教大慈大悲，积极救世的理想观念的。

少林功夫最初形成的原因之一是寺庙僧人们因长期“壁观”和“坐禅”，打坐静卧，肢体麻木，需要一套活动筋骨，锻炼身体的运动之法，禅宗始祖达摩变创立了一套拳法供僧人们晨起练习，这便是少林功夫的雏形。少林功夫契合人体运动规律，动作与动作之间都不是孤立存在的，并且融入了中国古代阴阳观，用矛盾对立的辩证思维模式掌握事物规律，追求“动静结合, 阴阳平衡, 刚柔相济, 神形兼备”。其中最著名的是“六合”原则：手与足合、肘与膝合、肩与胯合、心与意合、意与气合、气与力合。中国古代“天人合一”的思想认为：最合自然规律的，才是最合理的。

4.技术实践

少林功夫是一个武术体系，并不只是一种“拳法”或“功法”，少林功夫体系庞大复杂，按类别可分为拳法和器械两大类。另外有72绝技，以及擒拿、格斗、卸骨、点穴、气功等门类独特的功法、少林功夫最初多是实战格斗技法，明朝后期开始向套路化方向演变，形成了众多套路并固定下来。

少林拳法共有300多种，目前有迹可查的也有200多种。历史悠久，最早是以实战搏击为主，吸取了中华武术的精髓演变而成。现存最早的介绍少林拳法的《拳经》明末拳法大师是由玄机和尚留下来的。主要的少林拳法包括：小洪拳、少林大洪拳、罗汉拳、梅花拳、大通臂拳、心意拳、少林醉拳等等，每种拳法里又有不同的动作招式，如：少林醉拳中有：双手取杯、连饮三杯、太白醉酒等动作招式，这些招式名称大都生动形象，富含中国文化内涵。

少林武功中器械也种类繁多，有“十八般兵器”之说，包括棍、刀、剑三种主要器械，还有三股叉、方便铲、单拐、九节鞭、三节棍等等。棍是少林功夫中最广为人知的器械类型，也是少林功夫形成初期最早使用的兵器，主要包括：少林风火棍、少林阴手棍、少林大夜叉棍等。刀随着武僧参与战争的需要也逐渐成为少林功夫的器械。其中代表的套路有：少林缠头刀、少林昆仑双刀等。少林剑法术形成于明代，也是非常具有代表性的一种。包括少林乾坤剑、少林梅花剑等。

少林功夫的修习主要以口述的方式进行，核心是师父的言传身教和弟子的勤学苦练，所以修炼功夫依靠师父的点拨和弟子的顿悟。修习少林武术者主要有三层境地。第一层，掌握功夫技法，外形得到修炼，形体素质得到锻炼。即“习其外表，练其外形”。第二层，化有形于于无形，制服敌人于无形之中，“打人不见形, 见形不为能”。第三层，“心之战”而不是“形之战”，用“心法”战胜敌人。

5.现代传承

少林功夫的传承在现代遇到了危机，主要原因有以下几点：其一，现代热兵器的使用使以棍棒刀剑为基础的少林功夫退出了军事战斗的领域。其二，现代快节奏的生活方式与融合了禅宗文化的少林功夫体系格格不入，人们对少林功夫的学习多停留在“拳法”、“技巧”上，而忽视了背后的文化内涵。其三，不同于其他传统的民族体育运动，少林功夫与佛教相关，随着社会物质水平提高，信仰佛教的人也越来越少，影响到了少林功夫的传承。其四，少林寺如今作为文化景点对外开放，这破坏了少林寺的文化生态。

在少林功夫的保护上，政府和少林寺都做了一些努力。“社会对少林功夫的保护措施多是以宗教、文物保护及旅游开发为出发点的。”[3]主要包括对少林寺文物建筑进行修缮和保护，拆除一些违规和不协调的建筑，保护少林寺生态环境，以及举办国际少林武术节等来增强少林武术的影响力。少林寺则对少林功夫的保护做出了巨大贡献，包括品牌维护、资料搜集、科学研究、宣传。整理并出版了多部少林武术作品，创办少林文化研究所，成立少林武僧团，并以企业法人身份注册了“少林”和“少林寺”商标等，这些都为少林功夫在当代的保护做出了接触贡献。但不可否认的是，少林功夫保护依然任重道远。

6.结论

综上所述，少林功夫作为融合禅宗智慧与武术技艺的文化体系，历经千年演变，形成了“禅武合一”的核心理念与完备的技术系统。其在历史长河中虽屡经兴衰，却始终承载着佛教慈悲济世的精神内涵。面对现代传承危机，各方虽已采取保护措施，但如何维系其文化本质与实践脉络，仍是亟待深入探索的时代课题。

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