Principles of the Shaolin Quan Style

The Shaolin Quan fighting technique is not fundamentally different from any other martial art in terms of maiming, if that is the main goal of martial arts study. On the other hand, what distinguishes the Chinese martial arts, and the Shaolin style in particular, is an internal component. We have already said that the control of qi is not supernatural in this style, but in this case I would like to say that the Shaolin style, besides ethics, has a philosophical meaning.

In perfecting physical techniques, directing one’s attention to the basic principles gives the student the opportunity to understand what the master will never say. In part, this is what “heart to heart” skill transfer is all about.

Philosophy of Shaolin Kung Fu

Shaolin kungfu as a thread.
It bends, but not crooked.
Straight, but not linear.

少林拳一条线，屈而不屈，直而不直
[quán yī tiáo xiàn, qū ér bùqū, zhí ér bù zhí]

Practice style in the ox-lying areas

拳打卧牛之地
[quándǎ wò niú zhī dì]

Stable and agile

稳固而灵活
[wěngù ér línghuó]

You beat the enemy without showing your form, you showed your form, you missed your opportunity.

打人不见形，见形非为能
[dǎ rén bùjiàn xíng, jiàn xíng fēi wéi néng]

Ears hear eight sides, eyes see six directions

耳听八方，眼观六路
[ěr tīng bāfāng, yǎn guān liù lù]

Spinning in, spinning out

滚入滚出
[gǔn rù gǔn chū]

Hands like meteors, eyes like lightning

手似流星，眼似电
[shǒu sì liúxīng, yǎn sì diàn]

The body is like a floating dragon, the steps must “stick”

身如浮龙，步要贴
[shēn rú fú lóng, bù yào tiē]

The spirit is filled, the qi is immersed

弥神充沛，气要沉
[mí shén chōngpèi, qì yào chén]

劲力顺便，功艺纯 [jìnlì shùnbiàn, gōng yì chún] – strength to use “in passing”, skills should be improved;

动如涛，静如岳 [dòng rú tāo, jìng rú yuè] – move like raging waves, rest like the top of a mountain;

起如猴落如雀 [qǐ rú hóu luò rú què] – jump like a monkey, sit like a sparrow;

立如鹤，站如松 [lì rú hè, zhàn rú sōng] – stand as a crane, steady as a pine;

转如轮，折如弓 [zhuàn rú lún, zhé rú gōng] – move like a wheel, obey like a bow;

轻如叶，重如铁 [qīng rú yè, zhòng rú tiě] – light as a leaf, heavy as iron;

慢如鹰，快如风 [màn rú yīng, kuài rú fēng] – steady as an eagle, swift as the wind. (soar like an eagle, blow like the wind)