The Fundamentals of Shaolin Kung Fu By: Scott Elledge & David Stubblefield • History of the Shaolin Temple • Breathing & Meditation • Conditioning & Stretching • Internal Styles • External Styles • Weapons History of the Shaolin Temple The word Shaolin is derived from Shaoshi Mountain and “lin”, the Chinese word for forest. This describes the geographic area of the first temple built in the Henan Province around 495 A.D. 32 years later, an Indian Buddhist priest named Bodhidharma came to the temple, but was turned away by the head abbot, Fang Chang Bodhidharma was determined and went to a nearby cave and meditated Nobody knows exactly why, but Bodhidharma was then allowed into the temple and he soon noticed that the monks were in poor physical health He began teaching them moving exercises designed to enhance Chi flow and build strength. They consisted of 18 actions known as the 18 Lohan movements or forms. These 18 forms later evolved into 54 forms and then into 108 forms. These movements were the start of Shaolin Ch’uan or Shaolin Fist, later know as Kung Fu. Over the years, due to repeated attacks and periods of inactivity due to reigning Imperial and regional leaders who feared the monks, other temples were incorporated into Shaolin. The 5 main temples were: The Henan Temple, the original temple and the one seen in Chinese Kung Fu movies.