Northern Shaolin Style | Shaolin Chamber Academy

The Northern Shaolin style (Bak Siu Lam Kuen Mun) originates from Shao Lin Temple located in Henan province. Along with Shuai Jiao, it is one of the oldest styles in China.

Built in 495 by Emperor Xiao Wen (471-500), the Shao Lin monastery was established in the middle of a forest at the base of Mount Song, in Henan province, between the cities of Zhengzhou and Luoyang (the ancient capital of the Chinese empire), north of the Yellow River (Huang He).

When monks start their Buddhist journey, they pledge to enter a new stage, a rebirth in monastery life. Hair cutting also represents rebirth, as the temple name Shao means «new,» and Lin stands for «forest.» In simple terms, the monk must renew himself daily, just like his promises, his hair and his Kung Fu, similar to a forest that constantly revives with more strength on the remains of its past.

The first abbot was the Indian monk Badhra (Batuo), and the main goal of Shao Lin Monastery was to become the leading center for studying, developing, and teaching Buddhism throughout Asia. Also regarded as a pilgrimage site, the Shao Lin monastery welcomed Buddhist monks from all parts of Asia (India, Ceylon, Persia).

Regarding Chinese martial arts and the Shao Lin Monastery, many tales exist; the most famous is the visit of monk Bodhidharma (Damo) to the monastery. The twenty-eighth patriarch of Mahayana (Great Vehicle) Buddhism and the first patriarch of Chan (Zen) Buddhism, Bodhidharma was born in Ceylon into a noble family, embraced Buddhism, and later studied under Prajnatara. He arrived in China in 475, visited several southern temples, and settled in Shao Lin Monastery around 520 to succeed then-abbot Bodhiruci.

Bodhidharma taught the monks of Shao Lin essential breathing exercises to enhance the physical stamina and focus needed for long meditation sessions. Some believe these exercises, combined with the fighting methods practiced in the area, eventually led to the development of the initial forms of Shao Lin’s martial art. In the book A Brief History of Kung Fu (William Acevedo, Carlos Gutiérrez, and Mei Cheung), the claim that Bodhidharma instructed the monks is debated, and some even attribute their martial knowledge to the Chinese army.

Over many years of history, the Shaolin monks mastered hand-to-hand and weapon fighting techniques and created their own methods that made them famous and feared. The teachings were primarily for monks, but in 1650 the then abbot Chiu Jin allowed ordinary people to learn some styles meant for monks. One of the first laymen was Kan Fon Si, who later became a hero in Chinese history for resisting Qing oppression.
Gan Fenchi’s fighting tradition continued through four generations until it got to Ku Yu Cheong, who learned Shaolin skills from a friend of his dad. Ku Yu Cheong became well-known for his «iron palm» skill and started teaching at the Nanjing Central Academy in 1928. While there, he learned the sword Tai Kek Kuen, Baat Kek Kuen and Mou Dong from Li Kin Lam, and Baat Kua Cheong and Yeng Yi Kuen from Sun Lok Tong.

Later Ku Yu Cheong was invited to represent the Guangzhou Central Academy together with other famous masters. Subsequently he opened his own school and decided to give the name «Shaolin of the North» to the techniques he taught; the explanation of the name was because the style brought together only the best styles from northern China, such as: “The Ten Routines of Shaolin”, Tai Kek Kuen, Baat Kua Cheong, Yeng Yi Kuen, Tam Toi, Cha Kuen, weapons and “Little Golden Bell” chikung.

Ku Yu Cheong had several students, among whom Yim Sheung Mo stood out notably, who was able to learn Luk Hop Kuen and Ji Yin Mun (Zi Ran Men) with Mong Lai Sin. Yim Sheung Mo resided until the end of his life in Hong Kong, where he taught many students. The one who stood out the most was Chan Kowk Wai, representative of the northern Shaolin style.

The main style, «The Ten Shaolin Routines», is divided into hand forms and weapons, a total of ten hand forms and more than twenty-five different weapons, each with approximately one or two forms. His striking features are long and short attacks, with the hands and especially with the feet, elbows, sweeps and takedowns. The strength and technique used in the movements denote efficiency and is considered the most complete of all Chinese martial art styles.

See the nomenclature of the Northern Shaolin kati here.

Characteristics of the Northern Shaolin style

Northern Shaolin is characterized by a large number of kicks, firm and strong movements, and bases that are often not as low as southern styles. The large number of techniques in just a few movements is one of its strengths.

There is a cartoon, called Avatar, that shows Northern Shaolin in Fire Nation form.

Other sources

I recommend you watch the films:

• Shaolin
• Shaolin Chamber 36!

Also read the books:

• Northern Shaolin Kung Fu (Grand Master Chan Kowk Wai)
• The Shaolin Monastery (Meir Shahar)
• The art of Shaolin Kung Fu (Kit Wong Kiew)
• The sequence of books Northern Shaolin style (Rick L. Wing)

You can practice this style in our gym! Contact us!