The best students of the Shaolin Monastery will come to Moscow with a new program “The Last Frontier” and will perform at Crocus City Hall on December 7. The abbot of the monastery, Shi Yong-Xin, on the eve of the arrival of his charges in Russia, received a RIA Novosti correspondent in his monastery and told why the Shaolin culture attracts people from all over the world and how he copes with the gigantic influx of tourists to the monastery, is there a place for progress in Buddhism, as he refers to Hollywood films about Shaolin and why he allows his monks to participate in entertainment shows, and also explained what the essence of Shaolin is and what a monk should achieve at the end of the path. Interviewed by Irina Gordon.
— How do you preserve the traditions of the monastery, especially now when it attracts so many tourists?
— The history of the Shaolin Monastery goes back more than 1.5 thousand years. It is an imperial monastery built on this site by order of the Chinese government for Buddhist teachers from India. The Shaolin Monastery was originally established by the Chinese government and was treated with great respect by the Chinese ruling dynasties, which is why it has consistently maintained the status of an imperial monastery throughout its history. At the Shaolin Monastery, the main emphasis is on the study and implementation of the Buddhist faith - the monks here engage in self-improvement, study Buddhism, and practice kung fu. The basis of Shaolin traditions is independent, diligent training. Shaolin culture has a beneficial effect on a person’s physical and mental health, and is of value to the whole world. It is natural that our culture attracts people from all over the world who come here for excursions or to undergo training.
— Do you agree that the monastery should keep pace with progress, or do you think that traditions should remain unchanged?
— In religious practice, in spiritual life, one should maintain traditions, strive for traditions; in spreading the Buddha's law it is necessary to conform to the spirit of the times.
— The Shaolin Temple has become an integral part of Chinese folk culture, and its image is often used in books and films, primarily in Hollywood. Have you seen any of them? Do you agree with how the image of the temple is reflected in the movies?
— I usually don’t watch movies, I don’t watch TV. I hardly read fiction or magazines either. We mainly do meditation and read sutras here. I know that the plots of many films and plays are related to the Shaolin Monastery and are based on historical events associated with it. These stories are beneficial to a person's physical and mental health and help people in their life's aspirations, which is why so many people in China and beyond choose stories from the history of the Shaolin Monastery. We think this is good. Stories about the history of Shaolin and stories related to Shaolin can make people happier, healthier, more successful, wiser, more independent. Yes, that's probably good.
— In the movies, Shaolin monks can fly and kill with one blow. Is this true or are the filmmakers making it all up?
— On the issue of “killing with one blow” - Shaolin martial art is intended primarily for defense, and attack is secondary. The most important thing is self-defense and health promotion. With the help of training, the state of the body and moral properties of a person are improved, and the quality of life increases.
— What is the life of the monks here and what should each of them achieve at the end of the journey?
— The monastery is a place for the study and practice of Buddhism, so only people who profess Buddhism and strive to achieve spiritual goals are accepted here. We advocate that a person’s stay in the Shaolin Monastery be lifelong. Studying, novitiate and living here is the work of a lifetime. We try to lead our lives in novitiate, our daily life, so that every day goes well, so that every hour and every moment is good. Our ultimate goal is to strive throughout our lives to achieve our ideals.
— Shaolin monks present their martial art in the form of shows all over the world. This fall they have already performed on Red Square as part of the Spasskaya Tower festival, and in December they will come to Moscow again with a new program. How compatible is monastic life with participation in entertainment shows and tours?
— Shaolin culture, based on interaction and harmonious coexistence, is the result of cooperation between China and foreign countries, the result of the interaction of different religions, the result of faith and harmony. Therefore, interaction with other cultures and harmonious coexistence form the core of Shaolin culture. Through cultural exchange we promote Shaolin. By encouraging cooperation, complete harmony can be achieved, reaching the limits of what we, monks, strive for in our religious practice. Through communication with people in China and abroad and various types of interaction, we stimulate the development of our traditional culture and introduce it to people around the world.
— Do many foreigners ask you to become monks? Do you accept them?
— The Shaolin Monastery was originally established for a Buddhist mentor from India, and for centuries monks from Japan, Korea, and Vietnam practiced Buddhism here. From history it is clear that this temple has always been open to the outside world. In the current era, when conditions permit, we try to the best of our ability to satisfy the requests of people who come to our monastery from all over the world to engage in religious practice.
—Can foreigners become monks here?
- They can.
- And women?
— Yes, we have a branch of the Shaolin Monastery in the mountains, women are also accepted there.
— In Christianity, a monk usually takes a vow of celibacy. Tell me, does the Shaolin Monastery also have such a rule?
- Yes, this also applies to Buddhism. In general, there are several restrictions. Buddhism requires a monk to wear special monastic robes. He must be a vegetarian - for the rest of his life he cannot eat anything that flies, jumps or runs. And he really cannot start a family or have a love affair.
— In one of your interviews, you said that ordinary people do not understand the essence of Shaolin. Please explain to us what it is?
— In the Shaolin Monastery they mainly practice meditation. Meditation helps us improve our health, expand our boundaries, achieve a state of serene calm, learn wisdom, understand the vanity of this world and move away from it. Simply put, since Shaolin is a Buddhist monastery, we preach the renunciation of evil and the increase in goodness.
- And what does kung fu have to do with it? Why does meditation need to be combined with martial arts training - how are these things related?
— Meditation and Chan Buddhism in China have their origins in the Shaolin Monastery. The tradition of meditation in China is based on a method of constant internal concentration, which also originates in the Shaolin Monastery. Constant internal concentration means: sitting or lying down, putting on clothes, eating food, being at home or going somewhere, always concentrate on what you are doing at the moment. Sitting or lying down, when chopping wood or boiling water, putting on clothes, eating food, being at home or going somewhere - in every little detail, every minute of your daily life, be in a state of meditation. Thus, while cultivating the land, we engage in “labor meditation”; when training martial arts, we engage in “combat meditation”... In all of our daily lives, we are in the process of constant internal concentration, in the process of meditation.
- Thank you very much for your time.
— Amitofo (Buddhist blessing - ed.).
While talking about our Shaolin Center in Voronezh, we figured out what the concepts of “kung fu” (or “kung fu”) and “wushu” mean. We found out that, although the meanings of these words differ, in the West these words mean the same thing, namely, the martial arts of China. We also briefly examined the differences between sports and traditional wushu: in the first, the emphasis is on the aesthetics of movements, their beauty, while in traditional wushu, beauty is understood as the harmony of strength, speed and, most importantly, the meaning of a movement or technique (i.e. its application) .
Now let's take a closer look at Shaolin Kungfu, that is, the martial art that was practiced in the legendary Shaolin Monastery.
History of Shaolin Wushu
The history of the creation of fist art in the monastery leads back to Bodhidharma (Chinese: Damo). Bodhidharma is one of the most mysterious and, at the same time, famous and revered figure not only in Shaolin, but throughout China. It is he who is considered the founder of Chan (Japanese Zen) Buddhism. Bodhidharma was an Indian missionary who preached one of the branches of Buddhism. As legends say, after arriving in China, he settled near Shaolin. Diligently practicing sitting meditation in a cave near the monastery, Damo plunged into deep concentration and, comprehending his inner nature, sat facing the wall for almost nine years. After sitting in one position for such a long time, Bodhidharma’s body became very weak: his muscles became flabby, his legs could hardly move. To put it in order, Damo developed sets of exercises, which formed the basis of Shaolin kungfu and qigong. Yi Jin Jing, Treatise on Modifying Muscles and Tendons, and Xi Suijing, Bone Marrow Bathing Complex, are qigong complexes attributed to Bodhidharma. Yi Jin Jing is practiced by monks and followers to this day, while the Xi Su Jing complex is considered lost knowledge. Damo is also credited with creating an external complex called the “18 Arhat Arms.” This complex contains a sequence of 18 hand-to-hand combat techniques, it is practiced in Shaolin to this day.
Bodhidharma's transmission of these complexes to the monks of the monastery is traditionally considered the starting point of the development of Shaolin Wushu and Qigong. Over the following centuries, the monks were able to build a very complex system of martial arts, containing various complexes and sub-styles, various weapons, methods of special training of blows and strengthening the body and bones, qigong complexes for developing internal energy and improving health. The complex system of all these components, in fact, is Shaolin Wushu.
It is worth noting that in teaching Wushu in Shaolin, the most important role was played by the teacher, the mentor - the bearer of certain techniques and methods of combat. Moreover, different teachers could master different sets of complexes and fighting styles, which resulted in a variety of substyles of Shaolin Wushu. As a result, monks of the same generation, being students of different mentors, could have completely different fighting techniques, and even the same complexes could be performed and interpreted differently. Therefore, when talking about Shaolin Wushu, you need to understand that it includes different techniques and fighting styles, perhaps not even intersecting with each other, and developing in parallel throughout the long history of the monastery.
Unfortunately, there were tragic moments in the history of the monastery when Shaolin was under the threat of complete destruction, which entailed the loss of not only certain styles of Shaolin kungfu, but also the knowledge accumulated by many generations of monks. So, caught up in the warlord feuds that plagued Northern China in the first half of the 20th century, the Shaolin Monastery was burned down by General Shi Yusang in 1928. General Shi Yusang fought against General Feng Zhongxiu, who had trained in martial arts as a child in Shaolin. As a result of the fire, the flames destroyed and damaged many ancient buildings and halls of the monastery, the archive with ancient records, chronicles and knowledge of the monastery was burned, many monks were killed, the survivors left the monastery. For many years, the monastery was abandoned; only a few monks stayed in the monastery, trying to somehow maintain the surviving buildings.
Active reconstruction and revival of the monastery began only in 1983, a year after the release of the extremely popular and cult film “Shaolin Temple” starring Jet Li (Li Liang Jie). Monks who had previously left the monastery were again invited to the monastery. A search was organized for the techniques and knowledge of the monastery that had been preserved outside its borders. By adopting the surviving knowledge, collecting bit by bit information about the traditions and techniques of the monastery, as a result, it was possible to restore and breathe life into the legendary martial art of the Shaolin Monastery, which anyone can now touch.
Shaolin Kung Fu
The Kung Fu tradition of the Shaolin Monastery has nothing in common with the commonly used concept of "martial arts" as understood by people seeking victories over opponents, or used in the context of the military, the army. Also, sports wushu and traditional Shaolin kung fu have little in common. Throughout its history, Shaolin has never been a university of martial arts or a forge of professional fighters.
Why, with all this, Shaolin has maintained the glory of “First in the Celestial Empire in martial arts” for many centuries, and Shaolin kung fu attracts followers from all corners of the Earth? The uniqueness of the Shaolin approach lies in the fact that since ancient times, martial arts have been used to improve the spirit and comprehend Chan.
Chan is like a calm, clear lake, and when you start talking about Chan in words, all the words look like lies and truth at the same time. Therefore, to comprehend Chan, the method from “heart to heart” or “from the state of a Teacher to the state of a Student” has always been used. The comprehension of Chan often comes through the elimination of concentration on one’s own “I” and liberation from the cliches of consciousness, thanks to which the influx of suffering is ensured. Chan is the completeness of humility and accepting life directly, as it is. To eliminate cliches, Chan uses borderline states of consciousness and special training methods, since only an extreme situation is likely to turn us to an understanding of reality. In an extreme situation there is always a threat to life, therefore, in order to survive, complete concentration and complete freedom from all cliches are required. The practice of kung fu contributes to this.
Will Shifu teach me how to fight? It is very likely that yes, or at least you will become stronger in spirit and body. But Shaolin kung fu is a very difficult martial art, and you can set a more ambitious goal, and, best of all, without expecting or planning anything in particular. During classes at the School of Master Shi Yanbin, you will not only learn how to successfully perform Shaolin taolu (complexes, standard sequence of movements) and work with weapons (pole, whip, sword). The training is organized in such a way that it affects all levels of the body (spirit sheng, heart xin, qi energy, internal force of jing, external force of li).
Shaolin Kung Fu by Master Shi Yanbing, Shaolin 2015
The Shaolin kung fu tradition is based on Chan meditation. Next comes the practice of qigong, which provides the ability to regulate qi and harness the internal force of jing in the right place and at the right time, as opposed to using brute force through rigid muscle tension. The use of inner strength has different forms and expressions, which we most often call martial arts. Shaolin kung fu has always occupied a worthy place in the fraternal family of Chinese wushu along with the Wudang school, baguazhang, taijiquan, and xinyiquan.
Shaolin techniques are difficult to learn, easy to use, they use the principles of natural body movements, a harmonious combination of relaxation and tension, there are no empty movements, all techniques are purely practical. The movements are round, performed along a rotational trajectory and contribute to the accumulation of qi and the effective release of force. When striking, the arm is bent at the elbow - and at the same time not bent, straightened - and at the same time not straightened. Training does not require much space; according to the Shaolin expression, “a fist strikes where a cow can lie down.” Attack and defense must occur from the front or from the side.
Students of Master Shi Yanbing's School study:
- the art of fist fighting and the art of wielding weapons;
- skills in using traditional weapons of the Shaolin monastery - pole and sword, whip;
- technique of gripping and creasing (qinna);
- many methods of hard and soft operating.
And, of course, qigong and meditation are an integral part of the training process.
Hand positions, stances and basic techniques
Today, as you learn the first combinations of kung fu, including some basic techniques, basic hand positions, and basic stances, you will take the first step into the realm of fundamental, centuries-old knowledge collected and preserved by the power of human experience and wisdom.
For many centuries, kung fu masters have painstakingly figured out exactly how best to use certain methods of attack and defense in various specific situations. For example, they discovered that a punch thrown at waist level is much more effective and has more power than a punch thrown at shoulder level. By maintaining good balance of your torso at all times, you can kick more accurately and forcefully than from an unstable position. By making circular swings with your arms, you can minimize all the enemy’s actions by completely blocking his blows with your arms. By leaning your torso back and taking a certain stance, you can avoid a kick without moving. All movements of this kind that help a person win in hand-to-hand combat were properly verified and honed and collected into a system that we now call kung fu techniques.
The very first kung fu techniques were created through repeated trial and error. Later, when masters of hand-to-hand combat collected a sufficient number of various techniques to create on their basis the main theoretical rules and principles of their application, their targeted study and research began to play a major role in the development of the art of hand-to-hand combat. For example, our ancestors managed to establish that the enemy can be struck not only with direct blows with fists, but also with strikes from the wrists and elbows. They also realized that such wrist strikes are effective only when the hands have sufficient physical strength and the opponent is at a distance. If you lack arm strength and the opponent is close enough, then you should use your elbow. So, little by little, theories of modern hand-to-hand combat were created, on the basis of which the art of kung fu could further develop independently, that is, by drawing new knowledge and creating new rules not on the basis of “spying” on real fights, but through targeted experimentation in classes in a friendly atmosphere, involving a mutual exchange of experience.
The old kung fu masters also figured out to borrow a lot of valuable material for studying from the nature around them, that is, by observing the behavior and movements of animals, birds, insects and reptiles. Do not underestimate the capabilities of our smaller brothers: with the exception of the ability to think abstractly, we, that is, people, are in many ways very inferior to animals and
birds, especially when it comes to such things as physiology and anatomy, the development of sensory organs and the instinct for survival and self-preservation. The power of a tiger, the endurance of an ox or the swiftness of an eagle have long become common nouns. Even very small and harmless creatures can teach a person things that are very important for hand-to-hand combat. A rabbit or a squirrel, for example, have phenomenal abilities to predict the approach of danger and instantly disappear from the enemy’s field of vision, while showing miracles of resourcefulness and dexterity. Therefore, the old kung fu masters not only created their techniques based on observing the movements of animals, but also tried to notice the basic qualities of “character” inherent in these creatures. On the basis of these “animal” behavioral traits, new methods of training certain human abilities were subsequently based, for example, “tiger” power or “rabbit” agility.
All these techniques and skills have been accumulated and improved for many centuries in a row, passed on from generation to generation. The Shaolin Monastery became the first socio-cultural institution in which these ancient arts and individual skills in the field of external form, internal content or theoretical information began to be improved and developed on a targeted, systematic basis. The heirs to the traditions of the monastery manage to retain this palm to this day.
For example, while most martial arts in the world use only a closed fist to strike, in Kung Fu there are more than 20 different forms of the attacking hand. In other martial arts, little importance is attached to how the fighter stands and in what position he is, while in kung fu there are more than a dozen different special stances, the development of which is given special attention during training. So today you will not only be introduced to the first kung fu combinations, including some basic techniques, basic hand positions and basic stances, but you will take the first step into the realm of fundamental centuries-old knowledge, collected together and preserved by the power of human experience and wisdom.
THE MEANING OF FORM AND FORMlessness
For a beginner, kung fu techniques, with their different hand positions and unusual stances, may seem “unnatural” at first. Of course, in the event of a real combat situation, any person who is not at least familiar with the basics of kung fu is unlikely to be able to stand in a bow-and-arrow stance and carry out a straight right strike with the Black Tiger Rip Out the Heart technique. For a beginner, especially a European, it seems much more natural to assume the position of a sambo or judo wrestler and hit like a boxer. However, all these “unnatural” techniques have many technical advantages over the usual voluntary movements. For example, when using the same Black Tiger Rip Out the Heart move, your punch has much more power and your body position has more stability. Therefore, in order to learn to use all these advantages, the beginning student must conscientiously study all the movements and stances that seem to him at first “unnatural” so well that over time they become “second nature” to him.
In the early stages of training, the student must repeat all the movements and techniques of the instructor as clearly and carefully as possible, paying the greatest attention to the external form of the exercise. This stage of learning is usually called “from formlessness to form.”
At more advanced stages, when you have already acquired some experience in relation to the external forms of kung fu, you can begin to modify them yourself depending on the requirements of a particular combat situation. For example, instead of standing straight in a bow-and-arrow stance when throwing a black tiger strike, you can lean forward slightly if the situation calls for it to increase the range of your strike. This stage is called “from form to formlessness,” that is, it means that, having mastered the standard forms of kung fu, the student can already give free rein to his imagination; Without going beyond the general boundaries of the standard form, you can vary and modify the methods of using arms, legs and all other parts of the body when performing certain kung fu techniques. Many experienced masters sooner or later completely move away from the standard form of kung fu, not caring at all about observing it in battle, since their art is already so great that no matter how much they experiment with the enemy, victory will certainly remain theirs. This is the same as a fight between an adult man and a three-year-old child. An adult has such a colossal superiority in strength and experience that a child would not stand a chance, even if the man fell asleep for a while in the middle of the fight!
However, each student needs to thoroughly know all forms of kung fu, which can only be achieved through daily hard training. But before you start learning techniques and combinations, you need to master the art of holding your hands correctly in certain basic “kung hand positions.” fu”, as well as maintain balance in the main “kung fu stances”.
SOME SHAOLIN STYLE BRUSH POSITIONS
They say that it is better to see once than to hear a hundred times. In Fig. 6.1 and 6.2 show several basic hand positions.
Rice. 6.1
Brush positions 1-9 of the Shaolin Kung Fu style
Rice. 6.2
Hand position 10-18 style “Kung Fu of the Shaolin Monastery”
1. "Even fist."
2. “Sun-shaped” or “vertical” fist.
3. Leopard kick.
4. Phoenix Eye Strike.
5. "Elephant" fist.
6. Palm "swallow wing".
7. Dragon palm.
8. "Dragon's Paw."
9. "Tiger's Paw."
10. "Eagle Claw."
11. "Head of a snake."
12. "One finger of zen."
13. "Finger-sword".
14. Crab claw."
15. “Beak of the Crane.”
16. "Monkey's Paw."
17. “Pray of the Praying Mantis.”
18. “Hook Hand.”
Some of these hand positions are basic to the kung fu styles corresponding to their names. That is, for example, in the “monkey” style or in the “mantis” style, respectively, either “monkey’s paw” or “mantis’ paw” are used. “Crane beak” and “hook hand” seem identical in appearance, but they act completely differently. As can be seen from the name itself, the “crane beak”, used mainly among the Southern Shaolin kung fu styles, is used to “peck”, for example, at the enemy’s vital points, while the “hook hand”, used more in northern styles, “catch”, for example, on the legs or arms.
The richness and variety of kung fu techniques is clearly expressed in more than a dozen different striking techniques designed only for the use of the "steady fist". These techniques are shown in Fig. 6.3—6.5.
1. Direct hit.
2. Cannon strike.
3. Hit with the “horn”.
4. Diagonal strike.
5. Sweeping blow.
6. Strike with a whip.
7. Wave-like blow...
8. Slash.
9. Hanging blow.
10. Plunging blow.
11. Underarm blow.
12. Throwing blow.
Other positions of the hand for strikes are used less frequently, and the technique of these strikes is not so diverse.
Techniques for punching with a straight fist
"HORSEMAN" POSE AND OTHER STANDS
In Fig. 6.6-6.9 shows the main stances adopted in the kung fu of the Shaolin Monastery.
1. Rider pose.
2. "Bow-and-arrow."
3. "Cheating leg."
4. Unicorn Step.
5. “Ring step.”
6. Single foot stance.
7. Side stand...
8. Inclined stand.
9. J-post.
Shaolin Monastery pillars (1-3)
Shaolin Monastery pillars (4-8)
The horseback pose also moves your center of gravity from shoulder level to stomach level, making you "fresh on top, stable on bottom," that is, sensitive and balanced, physically and mentally alike. These two qualities, much more than the special techniques you will learn later, are the main distinguishing marks of a kung fu master. Finally, the horseman pose creates a clot of energy in your abdominal dan tian, or energy field. Only when your dan tian has accumulated enough energy will you be able to begin to develop internal strength in yourself, since this strength stems precisely from our energy fields and depends entirely on their state.
In general, the “rider” pose is a rather complicated form of zan zuan (“the art of stable positions”) ki-kung of the Shaolin monastery, and therefore doubly deserves the time and effort that is devoted to its development. One of the main reasons why many students, despite seemingly long years of training, do not achieve success in kung fu, is the poverty of the sources of their internal energy in the Dan Tien fields. As a rule, this lack of energy is usually caused by initially small and incorrect training in those areas and varieties of zan zuan that are prescribed by the characteristics of their chosen style of kung fu.
I would like to give you some useful tips on practicing the horseman's stance. Your torso should be completely straight, your shoulders back, and your thighs almost parallel to the ground. Remember not to straighten your legs a little and stretchup when you get tired - most beginning students automatically sin with this, without even realizing it to themselves. Despite the possible tension and even slight pain that arises as a result of an unusual, uncomfortable position, try to completely relax your muscles and mind. Concentrate only on your abdominal dan tian, that is, your abdominal area. You can close or open your eyes at your discretion, but the main thing is not to think about anything. Most people at first cannot stand in this position for even a minute, however, if you want to achieve something, find the strength in yourself sooner or later to hold on in the “horseman” position, without changing the position and without making any concessions, for at least five minutes. In order to achieve at least this minimum, you need to practice the “rider” pose every day for at least three months.
If you want, when you get too tired of being in the horseman's position, you can smoothly transition from this to other stances, for example, to the bow-and-arrow stance (in which the body weight is evenly distributed on both legs) or into a "false leg" stance (where the back leg bears more than 95 percent of the body weight). Just twist your torso and change the position of your legs without relaxing or taking a natural position. When you have rested and are ready to endure another “working out”, also return back to the “rider” pose. In addition, spend some time practicing the single leg and unicorn step stances (which place 60 percent of the weight on the front leg and 40 percent on the back leg). These five stances above are the basic ones in the art of kung fu, and therefore they are called “basic”.
After practicing your stances, you should do leg exercises that develop not only their strength and stability, but also their flexibility and mobility. In Fig. Figures 6.10 and 6.11 show six exercises collectively called the “flexible leg art” in our Shaolin Monastery Kung Fu school “Wanam”. (This is just our own name; other schools may use completely different exercises to stretch and develop the legs.) Each exercise should be performed at least 10-20 times.
BASIC TECHNIQUES OF SHAOLIN STYLE
Once you are familiar with the hand positions and stances of Shaolin kung fu, you can move on to learning the following eight simple techniques. In the kung fu of the Shaolin monastery, each technique has its own deeply meaningful and very poetic name. I give the names of all the techniques in direct translation, despite the fact that most of the lyrics are lost in this case. You can practice these techniques by looking at Fig. 6.12—6.15.
1. “Black Tiger Tears Out the Heart”
2. “A Lone Tiger Emerges from a Cave”
3. “A poisonous snake spits out venom.”
4. “A beauty looks in the mirror”
5. "Precious Duck Swims Through the Lotus"
6. “Arm swing from the “cheating leg” stance”
7. "Gold Star in the Corner"
8. "The Immortal Emerges from the Cave"
Learn one technique at a time and practice it day after day until you have mastered the technique before moving on to the next. Remember that the point of learning kung fu lies in the equal development of strength and skill, which in this case means the ability to skillfully and skillfully perform already familiar techniques, and not the ability to somehow learn them as much as possible, focusing only on quantity, and not for quality.
The pictures show only either the “left” or “right” forms of the techniques, but you should practice each technique in both variants equally many times in a row. At first, start each technique with a “ready pose,” that is, stand up straight and relax, keeping both fists clenched at your waist. Perform the technique, then return to the “ready pose.” Later, you can start and finish practicing techniques in any position you wish.
At first you should practice all the techniques in the sequence shown in the picture, but then you can practice them in any order. As a rule, it takes about three months of daily training for a beginner to accurately memorize all the techniques shown, provided that each “practice” (not counting the time of other kung fu classes!) lasts about an hour and a half.
As I already explained to you in the previous chapter, if you want to achieve the best results in the shortest possible time, you should correctly set all your goals and outline your immediate tasks.
For example, it would be a good idea to devote the first three months of classes to daily practicing all stances and techniques and call this course “Basics of Shaolin Monastery Kung Fu.” In this case, the term “fundamentals” means that all your future successes depend entirely on how well you master these basic stances and techniques. And even if you already have some experience in other martial arts, but not in kung fu, you should still spend three months on its “basics”.
The main goal of this course, of course, will be to create a solid foundation for the further development of your “own” Shaolin Monastery kung fu, including all the theoretical information about the importance of the “rider” pose, and about the principles of differences in the basic positions of the hand, and about the reasons , according to which you need to first practice all the techniques for a long time alone, and not with a partner. (If you haven't found the answer to all of these questions yet, read this chapter again.)
Course objectives at this stage include familiarity with specific stances and hand positions adopted in the kung fu of the Shaolin Monastery, the ability to correctly and skillfully take certain stances and carry out the learned techniques, lowering the center of gravity of the body to gain greater stability, as well as the ability accumulate vital energy in the abdominal dan tian - in preparation for the further development of internal strength.
You should outline a range of priority personal tasks for yourself, coordinating them with your personal capabilities and needs. As an example, here I can only give you very rough recommendations:
. 1. Sit in the “rider” position for at least 5 minutes.
. 2. Be able to walk fifteen kilometers without feeling tired.
. 3. Perform all eight basic kung fu techniques in a row without a single flaw.
. 4. Perform three series of all eight basic kung fu techniques in a row without feeling tired.
At the end of this stage of training, you will be able to compare all the results achieved with the course and personal objectives and correctly evaluate all the efforts expended.