Northern Shaolin
In its broadest sense, Northern Shaolin (Bak Sil Lum) refers to the external (as opposed to internal) martial arts of Northern China referring to those styles from the Northern Shaolin Monastery in Henan. At its most specific, Northern Shaolin refers to a style called Fist taught at the gates of Northern Shaolin (Bak Sil Lum Kuen Moon), disseminated by Gu Ruzhang.
Characteristics
The Northern Shaolin style of kung fu is one of the most prominent traditional northern styles of Chinese martial arts. The northern styles of kung fu generally emphasize long-range techniques, quick advances and retreats, wide stances, kicking and leaping techniques, whirling circular blocks, quickness, agility, and aggressive attacks.
Northern styles/Běi pài (北派) feature deeply extended postures—such as the horse, bow, drop, and dragon stances—connected by quick fluid transitions, able to quickly change the direction in which force is issued.
The group of Northern martial arts includes many illustrious styles such as Baguazhang, Bajiquan, Chāquán, Chuojiao, Eagle Claw, Mizongyi, Northern Praying Mantis and Taijiquan. Chángquán is often identified as the representative Northern style and forms a separate division in modern Wushu curriculum.
Northern styles exhibit a distinctively different flavor from the martial arts practiced in the South. In general, the training characteristics of northern styles put more focus on legwork, kicking and acrobatics. The influence of Northern styles can be found in traditional Korean martial arts and their emphasis on high-level kicks.
The system teaches empty-hand techniques and weaponry through predetermined combinations, known as forms, routines, or movement of sets. The students learn the basics by practicing the routines until the movements in the routines can be executed naturally based on instinct. Then, two or multiple man sets are practiced to train responses and applications of techniques learned from the sets. The practice sets/routines are not only practical in applications but are also graceful and artistic in nature. The fluidness of the movements combined with acrobatic techniques are trademarks of the Northern Shaolin Kung-Fu sets.
The monastery in Henan is the original Shaolin Monastery. The monks began to practice military weapons sometime around the Tang Dynasty and became famous for aiding the future Emperor Li Shimin in struggles against rebellious forces. The monks were primarily known for their spear and staff techniques until the Ming-Qing transition when they began to specialize in unarmed combat. As the reputation of the Shaolin martial arts grew during the following centuries, its name became synonymous with martial arts, regardless of whether an individual art traced its origins to the Shaolin Monastery in Henan or not.[8] As a result, the "Shaolin" moniker was applied to other Buddhist temples with strong reputations for martial arts. The characteristics of the martial arts taught at each temple were so different from each other that they became identified with their place of origin.
The Northern Shaolin Lineage - Unbroken Tradition
Generation 1-9
朝元 和尚 (Monk Zhāo Yuán)
甘鳳池 (Gān Fèngchí)
萬邦才 (Wàn Bāngcái)
嚴徳功 (Yán Dégōng)
嚴三省 (Yán Sānxǐng)
嚴機(繼)溫 (Yán Jīwēn)
顧汝章 (Gù Rǔzhāng), 白志祥 (Bái Zhìxiáng)
馬劍風 (Ma Jianfeng), 嚴尚武 (Yan Shangwu), 龍子祥 (Long Zixiang)
黃澤民 (Wong Jack-man / Huáng Zémín), 陳國偉 (Chan Kwok-wai), 黎雄 (Lai Hung), 鄺榮林 (Kwong Wing-lam) and 蘇炳源 (Jonny So) - Among others
