Shaolin Kung Fu Styles
Luohan
Quan (Buddhist Dicipel Boxing) (02)
...Luohan Quan or the
Arhat boxing originated from the Shaolin-style boxing. It has been
called the 18-hand tricks of Arhat, which consisted of 18
combating skills and techniques. Along with its 24 movements in
advancing and retreating, the Arhat boxing uses six routines of
fist plays, two routines of palm plays, one routine of elbow play,
four routines of holding and strangleholding, each of which has
its own practical value and health-building effect.
The original Luohan Quan was called the 18-form Arhat boxing which
was improved and developed through years of practice. It later
became the 27-form small Arhat boxing, the 54-form big Arhat
boxing and the 108-form Arhat boxing. While practising, Arhat
boxers can be as soft as willow twigs, as agile as a smart monkey
jumping over a mountain gully, as mighty as a lion, and as
powerful as a dragon stirring the sea. According to the practice
proverbs of the Arhat boxing, the head of the Arhat boxer is like
a wave; hands are like meteorites; the body like a willow twig;
footwork is like that of a drunkard; blows are triggered by the
mind and power is generated throughout the body. It should be
difficult to tell whether the hits are substantial or empty. Free
application of the Arhat boxing skills can be achieved through
years of practice and exercise.
Luohan Quan was created by monks in the Shaolin Temple from
watching and imitating the different forms and expression of the
different Arhat statues in the temple, and through meditation.
They added to these movements the skills of combat. There are
quite a few Arhat boxing masters among the generations of
Shaolin monks. The best in the contemporary period was Master
Miao Xing. Master Miao Xing had been called "Gold Arhat".
He was a native of Dengfeng in Henan Province and knew the combat
skills as well as being fond of literal arts, especially Buddhism.
He used to work on his farmland, and chanted Buddhist scriptures
and practised martial arts after work. Later he traveled
throughout the country and met with many Wushu masters. In this
way he mastered the martial arts of different styles of boxing.
Several years later, Miao Xing shaved his head to become a monk of
the Shaolin Temple but he continued to practise his martial art in
his spare-time delving into the skills of combat.
Once he was seen practising his martial art by the abbot of the
temple who praised him and taught him the Shaolin style of boxing
and cudgel plays. The abbot also taught Miao Xing the Arhat boxin,
acupoint touching, joint dislocating, holding and strangleholding,
breathing exercises and other Shaolin-style martial arts.
Whenever challengers of the Shaolin martial arts came, the abbot
would appoint Miao Xing to meet them and Miao was always the
winner, thus earning the respect from among other monks.
Eventually Miao was promoted to be the supervisor of the temple
and was asked to teach the martial arts to other monks. After the
death of the abbot, Miao Xing succeeded him and also served as the
chief of the Shaolin martial arts masters. He had some 5.000 monk
disciples and 200 laymen disciples. In 1939, Master Miao Xing
passed away at he age of 58.
The characteristics of the Arhat boxing are plain and simple. It
combines simplicity with the beauty of the expressions of the
Arhats. It hides its combative skills and blows in the Arhat-like
actions. Movements are smoothly comfortable and fully spread out
with clearcut rhythms and the cooperation and coordination of
attack and defence are rational. After practising for a long time,
the Arhat boxing can strengthen the physique, tone up the body,
give one self-defence skills and cure diseases.
