Hello Steemits, followers! Long days without post so it`s time to write about Shaolin!
A few years ago I witnessed a spectacle entitled "Shaolin Legends" and it was a magical story in the form of dance combined with elements of famous fights. The theme of the performance was the creation and development of Shaolin, its tradition and philosophy of Zen Buddhism. You could admire extraordinary skills and training, as well as the art of mastering the body and mind through meditation. The spectacular shows were perfectly perfected and breathtaking. But was it a real magic, or was it just a great, commercial show? Read the truth about the mysteries of Shaolin monks.
On the caves of the copy
The training of warriors, who are then ready to present their extraordinary skills to the audience, lasts for decades. This way the monks are able to show things that seem to be on the verge of human capabilities. In front of the audience, they break wooden sticks on their bodies and heads or break boards. They fly in the air, their bodies form into completely unbelievable positions, they represent incredible combat scenes. They also stand on the blades or float in the air backrests against the caves of the copy.
Three years of hard work
Shaolin's legend dates back to the 5th century A. D. Bodhidharma, the Indian prince of Bodhidharma, who came to China to spread Buddhism there. After nine years of wandering and meditation among the Chinese mountains, he achieved complete mastery. He gave his teaching and experience, which later became the basis of the art of kung-fu martial art, to the monks at Shaolin Monastery. It has always been extremely difficult to become a champion of fighting in Shaolin. The ten-year-old boys who wanted to become warriors had to sit patiently in front of the monastery, and only the most impatient ones were finally admitted. However, this was only the beginning. Young students waited three years of hard work and difficult exams. In the first year they had to carry a mountain from the foot of the monastery, with water in two heavy, cast iron vessels. In the second year they had to go the same way, but in 10 kg iron boots.
Nine scars
Those who could have endured this introduction to the training could hope to become a real monk. Such a young man was shaved his head and nine scars were burnt. Only then did the boy start his martial arts studies, taking the oath that he would never betray what he had learned. In Shaolin's monastery, kung-fu was taught in five styles, the names of which are derived from animals that are their model and inspiration: dragon (the symbol of the soul), snake (the flexibility and strength of the body), tiger (the power), leopard (the breath) and crane (the vitality).
Shots in a dark room
In order for the monk to become a master of martial arts, he had to pass a difficult exam, fight with experienced monks, lift a weight of 500 kg. In a dark room, he had to show his ability to avoid blows and defend himself against arrows, knives and javelins. Another test was a pain immunity test. When the monk passed through all these steps, he was given the most difficult final exam - the "alley of wooden puppets".
Importance of the tiger and dragon
The puppets were equipped with dangerous weapons of various kinds, and the mechanism was triggered when they were pushed onto a suitable plate on the floor. In one moment she could attack up to five figures. Whoever was not fast enough and could not withstand, died during this examination. The selection was merciless. When he left the monk's murderous room, he only had to move the urn filled with burning stones to get outside. Urna weighed 250 kilograms, and the adept had to take her forearms. He was fired with hot metal and burned on one arm of the dragon's mark on the other tiger.
bundle in the Shaoshi mountain forest
Shaolin has a long and heroic history. It is located between the peaks of the Song Range, at the foot of the Shaoshi Mountain in Henan province, 800 kilometres southwest of Beijing. Shao "Shaolin" in the name Shaolin means Shaoshi mountain, while "ropes" means forest. In free translation, you can therefore read this name as "the temple in the forests of the Shaoshi Mountain".
The magnificent history of the monastery
The first Shaolin Temple was founded in 495 AD at the request of Emperor Xiaoven from the northern dynasty of Wei. However, there is another legend that ascribes the creation of a monastery at the foot of Shaoshi to the western Han Dynasty (206 BC-24 AD). According to this version, the temple was only renovated and enlarged in the times of Wei. At the end of the seventh century, the monks helped the Chinese emperor to suppress the rebellion for the first time. They showed their extraordinary abilities, defeating an enemy army. The emperor gave the monastery special privileges in a gesture of gratitude.