| On the northern china plains there are five holy mountains. Mount Song, in Dengfeng County in Henan Province is in
the center of the Holy Mountains, so it is also known as the Middle Holy Mountain. Emperor Wu Di of the Han dynasty visited this mountain in 110
BC. Since then, emperors of succeeding dynasties either came in person or sent special envoys to pay homage to Mount Song. Many memorial halls,
Buddhist and Daoist Temples, stone arches and inscribed tablets have been erected over the years.
At the foot of Mount Song is Shaolin Monastery. In 496 AD, Emperor Wen DI of the Northern Wei Dynasty built Shaolin Monastery for the Indian
Buddhist monk named Batuo so he could preach the lesser vehicle Buddhism, an early sect of Indian Buddhism advocating self-extrication (the setting
free of one's mind, body and soul.) In 527 AD another Indian Monk, Bodhidharma, or Da Mo, arrived at Shaolin Monastery. DA MO brought the Greater
vehicle sect, which practiced deep meditation in a sitting posture, keeping the mind as tranquil and unaffected as a wall. DA Mo's teaching was
revolutionary as it rejected the Buddhist scriptures and advocated discipline and dedication through meditation as the path to enlightenment.
Only in this way could one see with a clear heart one's true nature. His teachings became known as Zen or Ch'an in Chinese.
In his quest for enlightenment DA MO went to live in a cave, high in the mountains above the monastery. For nine years he dwelt there in solitary
meditation. During this time, to relieve fatigue he took up daily exercise using choreographed movements and deep breathing. Gradually these
evolved into Shaolin Gong-Fu. Upon his return to the monastery, he found that the monks lacked the physical and mental stamina needed to perform
even the most basic of Buddhist meditation practices. DA MO instructed then in the exercises he had developed and soon the monks of Shaolin undertook
the ritual exercise.
In a brutal land a peacekeeper must be pure of heart. The Shaolin Monk could use violence only to purge evil. To take up arms otherwise was
forbidden. The main aim of those who train in this art is the promotion of health and strength. To master Gong-Fu would require unrelenting concentration
of mind and body.
In the year 621 AD, a cruel warlord captured the emperor's son, Li Shan Ming. Thirteen armed monks set out for the city of Luo Yang, The bandit's
lair. There they found the emperor's son and rescued him.
When Li Shan Ming ascended to the throne he showed his gratitude to the monks of Shaolin by inviting them to demonstrate their art. A lavish
feast was given by the emperor and a stone tablet was sent to Shaolin engraved with the names of the monks who had saved Li Shan Ming. He rewarded
the Temple with an estate and supplies of grain and permitted its masters to train 500 warrior monks. In the centuries to come, Shaolin would
be beseeched time and time again to defend emperors and peasants alike.
A monk's conduct should be as transparent as ice. He is not to seek fame or wealth. If he should rejoice in victory, then he would also delight
in killing. If you delight in killing then you cannot walk through yourself.
After many years of studying and training a monk would set out to walk the land as the great master DA Mo had done. Each traveled with just
a few possessions; his robe, a razor and a wooden bowl. As they journeyed, the wisdom of Shaolin spread far throughout and beyond...
Let him be trained in mind and body by walking over the mountains and fording the rivers. Let him befriend men wise
in the law of Buddha. Let him brave the snow; tread on the frosty roads not minding the severity of the weather. Let him cross the waves and
penetrate the clouds, chasing away dragons and evil spirits.
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