Shaolin Styles

The Shaolin is a monastic order that was set up in China in the mid sixth century AD. It was allegedly set up by an Indian monk who traveled to China. Kung fu was developed by the monks as a form of self-defense, and over the centuries Shaolin kung fu grew as it was practiced by monks. Many different styles of kung fu developed as a result. At first glance, many of the forms of kung fu are similar, yet they all emphasize a different approach and often philosophy. The exact origins of many of these forms are unknown, but they all have come from somewhere within the order of the Shaolin.

  1. White Crane

    • The White Crane style of Shaolin kung fu is Tibetan in origin and was developed by a monk who incorporated the swift actions of the crane bird into his martial arts. Typical movements of the White Crane style are wide-sweeping "wing"-type movements, high kicks and the "cranes beak," which is done by joining all five fingertips together. Crane kung fu is regarded as an internal system, though the physical training is also very tough.

    Tiger

    • Tiger-style kung fu has its origins in Burma. This style of kung fu tries to encompass the tenacity and power of the tiger. Tigers have held a legendary status in China for centuries and are a huge part of their mythology. Unlike the Crane style, Tiger style emphasizes physicality and meets force with force. The emphasis in Tiger style is to develop a hard exterior and tough bones, muscles and tendons.

    Wing Chun

    • Wing chun is probably the most well-known form of kung fu. It was made popular by Bruce Lee and has been a popular form of Shaolin kung fu ever since. Wing chun is a highly simplified style of kung fu and is therefore often mistaken by beginners as being ineffective. This is, however, not the case, as many masters assert that the simplicity of the martial art makes it more effective than overly complicated styles. There are three forms to wing chun: Sil Lum Tao, or "little imagination," Chum Kil or "bridge-seeking" and Bil Jee or "thrusting fingers." These three styles all emphasize a different element of the style, such as attacking and defensive moves.

    Snake

    • Snake kung fu is a style that emphasizes precision strikes to the body. The strikes are aimed at weak points in the body to either kill, injure or simply inflict psychological damage on your opponent. There are numerous Snake styles such as Viper or Cobra. While Viper emphasizes psychologically damaging strikes to areas that will cause your enemy to bleed, Cobra style practices serious blows to vital areas of the body that can lead to serious injury. Generally, Snake practitioners stand in an upright yet mobile stance that mimics the movements of a snake.

    Dragon

    • Dragon-style kung fu is similar to White Crane in that it is considered predominantly an internal system of Shaolin. The initial training develops the physical aspects of kung fu, the ability to strike, block and stomp properly. As the student progresses, though, there is more of an emphasis on the internal aspects and a cultivation of the ch'i. The Dragon style is based on evasion just as White Crane, yet the Dragon student employs heavier strikes such as Tiger-style blows.