The history of wushu. A well-known master of traditional Wushu in China and Europe, Mr. Zhong Lianbao, gave an interview to Our Version. Move like the wind, be heavy like a mountain and light like a swan's down - this art is taught to Wushu masters

Martial art of Wushu

The term "wushu" translated from Chinese means "combat (or military) technique (or art)." This term has existed since the beginning of the 20th century, previously the terms “jiji”, “ji-qiao”, “jiyong”, “quanshu”, “quanyun” were used (which are translated, respectively, as “strike technique”, “technical art”, “ hero of technology, " fist technique", "fist heroes". The last of these names (quanyun) is the most ancient, it is mentioned in the “Book of Songs” - “Shijing”, dating back to the 11th-12th centuries BC).

Martial art WUSHU (China)

Martial art WUSHU (China)

Main tasks of the USU

The main objectives of Wushu are: improving health, prolonging life, self-defense (the latter is not in all styles). Includes work without weapons (tushou) and work with weapons (daise). Both exist in the form of individual exercises, technical complexes (taolu) and voluntary exercises.

Martial art WUSHU (China)

They train alone, in pairs, in groups. Self-defense without weapons (fangshen) and sports contact fights “sanda” (which means “scattered strikes”, i.e. not combined into sets of formal exercises), strictly speaking, are not included in wushu.
Styles and schools of USHU

Wushu has a huge number of styles and schools. Almost every county in China, often every village, has its own style or at least a variant of the Wushu style. According to some sources, 130 styles are considered the most famous, according to others - 80.

Each of them has its own name. As a rule, it includes the word “fist” (quan), as well as a number of characteristics: place of creation (southern, northern, Shaolin); resemblance to the movements of animals (fists of a monkey, claws of an eagle, mantis, crane); peculiarity of movements (long, slippery, soft); the name of the creator of the school (Yan, Chen, Cha, Mo, Hong style). But there are also figurative names of styles characteristic of the Chinese (“Plum Blossom”, “Red Fist”).

Legends about the founders of USHU schools

Legends about the creators of various schools of wushu have been passed down from generation to generation. For example, it was believed that the ancestor of the “Monkey” style (Hou-quan) was the king of the monkeys himself. Tradition associates the appearance of the “Directed Will” (Xin-I-quan) style with the legendary commander Yue Fei. According to legend, the famous “Drunkard” style was developed by the monk Lu Zhisheng, according to another, by the famous poet Li Bo, and the “Lost Trace” or “Labyrinth” style was developed by a former student of the Shaolin Monastery, monk Yan Qing.

All these legends, where history was intertwined with fiction, gave rise to a sense of community between wushu masters and national heroes, and inspired the path they had chosen.

Three large USHU centers

Historically, in old China, at the same time, there were three large Wushu centers, each of which had special, unique features. These centers became the founders of the three main directions of traditional (or folk) Wushu: Shao-Lin, Wudang and Emeian.

Udan direction

was formed on the basis of the religious and philosophical teachings of Taoism, associated with a person’s comprehension of his “dai,” that is, the Path. Taoism, based on the doctrine of the two principles of yin-yang and the five primary elements, sought to achieve their balance, which gave man the path to immortality. Over two millennia, Taoist monks, based on the Book of Changes, created a complex system of occult sciences, geomancy and palmistry. Throughout China there was a rumor about the miracles performed by the ascetics of Tao, about their ability to fly, cause earthquakes, and command thunder.

For Taoist hermits, the external was inseparable from the internal, that is, an unprepared body could not become the abode of highest wisdom and spiritual perfection. That is why they developed various psychoregulatory systems that combined breathing exercises, recreational and military-applied gymnastics, as well as a strict diet.

Creating gymnastics complexes, the Taoists sought to strengthen internal organs, achieve muscle elasticity, joint mobility, tendon strength, sensitivity of nerve endings and good blood circulation. Physical exercise were inextricably linked with the respiratory. Wanting to understand the secret of longevity, the monks tried to adopt the breathing methods of animals and birds that lived longer than humans. To recreate their breathing rhythm, it was necessary to take complex poses, which, having turned from static to mobile, formed the basis of the so-called “animal” styles, characteristic of all areas of wushu.

Doctor Hua Tuo's system

The first of the Wushu treatises of the Wudang direction that have come down to us was written in the 3rd century. Taoist physician Hua Tuo, it was called “Games of the Five Beasts.” Its author became a legend during his lifetime, and after his death he was deified. Hua Tuo wrote: “I have my own system of exercises... It uses the movements of a tiger, deer, bear, monkey and bird. This system cures diseases, strengthens legs and maintains health for a long time. It consists of jumping, bending, swinging, crawling, rotating and contracting muscles by tension.”

Further development this system received in the Taoist sect of “Highest Purity”. In a large Taoist center in the Wudang Shan mountains in Hubei province, the Wudang direction was formed as a method of achieving health and longevity through the psychomeditative conduction of “qi” energy through 12 channels inside the body; breathing, psychophysical exercises based on animal gymnastics; sexual practices; dietology.

It is believed that the soft styles that distinguish the Udan direction originated in the 3rd-5th centuries, and their formation occurred in the 9th-13th centuries. - a brilliant period of Chinese history.

Soft style

Why is the Wudang style of wushu called soft? All his schools (Tai Chi Chuan, Bagua Chuan, Hsin Yi Chuan, etc.) sought to bring a person to a state of naturalness, unity with the surrounding world. And the one who committed or provoked the attack violated this unity and balance and, as an alien element, was doomed to death. Hence the priority of defense, but even this is almost devoid of elements of aggression.

Basic principles of all soft styles

Udansky directions are reduced to the following.

Continuity and interconnectedness of successive movements.
Smoothness and roundness of movements.
Timely relaxation, allowing “to move while being at peace and being at peace to remain alert.” The whole body should be like a soft hose filled with energy.
Harmony of external and internal movement. The work of the arms, legs, and hips is an external movement, while control of the breath, mind and will is an internal movement.
A combination of softness and hardness. External softness and relaxation give rise to extreme rigidity at the moment of impact or block. “The root of the hidden spring grows from the heart” - this phrase is repeatedly found in Wudang Wushu. You should learn to eliminate all distracting thoughts by focusing on the essence of the movements.

These movements, grouped in a strict sequence of increasing complexity, are known as “tao”. In Ancient China, it was believed that the first tao were developed by a certain civilization of prehistoric times, which, “before disappearing,” passed them on to people as a path to physical and spiritual improvement.

The “tao” of all schools is characterized by alternating softness and hardness, relaxation and concentration, speed and stops, as well as a clear rhythm, a sense of distance and time, correct breathing and energy distribution! A mandatory requirement is to return to the starting point from which the movement began. As a rule, improvisation was not allowed when performing tao; it had to be reproduced with precision down to the smallest detail. This was explained by the fact that their developers - the founders of schools or famous masters - were carriers of a single Knowledge, messengers of the gods, and the Tao themselves were a means to unity with the Cosmos, to the awakening and concentration of vital energy.

Movement patterns in Tao

The patterns of movements in Tao reproduce sacred geometric shapes-symbols: square, circle, spiral. Even the number of movements corresponds to the “magic” numbers. All tao of various schools of Wudang Wushu are directly related to the theory of 8 trigrams and 64 hexagrams of the “Book of Changes”. Each movement in them carries a philosophical meaning and magical symbolism. For example, the tao of animal styles are designed to bestow power, swiftness, fearlessness and invulnerability. And the one who performs them is under the protection of the divine animal whose movements he reproduces.

In Wudang Wushu, the image of the Soft and Weak defeating the Hard and Strong is often encountered. On the battlefield, agility and evasiveness overcome rough physical strength. Compliance turns the enemy’s onslaught against himself, uses his strength to destroy him. More than two thousand years ago, Le Tzu wrote: “In the Celestial Empire there is a path to constant victories and a path to constant defeats. The path to constant victories is called weakness, the path to constant defeats is called strength. Both of these paths are easy to know, but people do not know them...

Going ahead of those who; weaker than him is in danger from his equal; he who walks ahead of those who are stronger than him is not in danger... if you want to be firm, maintain firmness with the help of softness; If you want to be strong, protect your strength with weakness.”

Shaolin direction

Another major direction in Wushu is Shaolin (Shaolin Pai), which includes about 400 varieties of basic styles. A legend has survived to this day about how the Shaolin fighting style appeared.

Story

In 520, a small group of Buddhist adherents sailed from India to the shores of China to guide the rulers of the Celestial Empire on the path of truth. Among them was the twenty-eighth Buddhist patriarch Bodhidharma, the founder of the Dhyana sect, widely known in the East.

Bodhidharma was the third eldest son of the Indian Raja Sugandha, belonging to the Brahmin caste. The education he received corresponded to his high position: he studied traditional martial arts, the ancient Vedas, and Buddhist sutras. He was especially attracted to theosophy, the doctrine of unity human soul with the deity. To learn the hidden truths of Buddhism, Bodhidharma joined the Yogacara sect and then founded his own. One day, having learned about the difficulties of Buddhist adherents in China, he decided to go to this country.

However, by the time of the arrival of Bodhidharma and his companions, Buddhism in China was far from going through its worst times. About 50 monasteries and 30 thousand Buddhist temples spread the foreign religion through their novices. Immediately upon his arrival, Bodhidharma obtained an audience with the ruler of the kingdom of Northern Wei. What they talked about is unknown, but only after this conversation Bodhidharma abandoned his plans to change the religious life of China and retired to the small Shaolin monastery, located on the outskirts of this kingdom in Henan province.

Here, in order to learn the truth, he spent nine years completely alone in a mountain grotto, praying and meditating. After that, he began to diligently preach Chan (“Chan” in Chinese is the same as “dhyana” in Sanskrit - “meditation”). This teaching, being a variety of Buddhism, prioritized strengthening the body and spirit in the name of comprehending eternal truths. This is why Bodhidharma began to preach Chan by teaching Wushu, persistent physical training bodies as “containers of the spirit.”

Treatises on Fisticuffs

Numerous Chan military applied disciplines, which eventually amounted to 72 martial arts, originate from Bodhidharma. An ancient treatise says: “A brocade bag contains 72 precious arts. Eighteen of them are treatises on fist fighting, the other eighteen describe methods of wielding weapons. The rest are devoted to mastering Qi, hardness and softness exercises, gripping techniques...” Shaolin exercises, developing bones and joints, helped strengthen the entire body. The person who mastered them could strike with any part of the body.

Bodhidharma's legacy was developed by his followers. Master Jue Yuan, who lived in the second half of the 14th century, occupies a special place among them. He was a brilliant and versatile educated person. His passion for philosophy conquered all other attachments, and he retired to the Shaolin Monastery to devote himself entirely to studying the problem of the unity of spirit and body.

Being a skilled swordsman, he not only mastered the basic school of Shaolin Wushu, but also improved it. Jue Yuan developed combinations of types of defense - “72 Shaolin techniques of capture and release.” Later they entered the arsenal of almost all wushu schools, but under different names. Here are just a few of them: “The Secrets of Shaolin Grips”, “The Art of Combat Locks”, “72 Secret Grips”, “The Art of Breaking Ligaments and Tendons”, “The Cunning or Devilish Hand”.

Accurate knowledge of anatomy

These 72 techniques were based on precise knowledge of anatomy, the laws of biomechanics and focused on pain points. Even earlier, Wushu masters discovered that out of several hundred acupuncture points a person has, 108 can, when pressed on them, strengthen or weaken a blow or grip. These include 36 points, hitting which at the appropriate time and with a certain force can kill a person. In addition, there are points upon which it is not difficult for a wushu master to influence an influx or sharp outflow of energy, up to fainting, shock, suffocation, or a seizure. From China the art of 72 grips came to Japan and was transformed into martial arts aiki-jutsu.

Followers of Jue Yuan developed a complex of 170 techniques based on the styles of “Tiger”, “Dragon”, “Leopard”, “Snake”, “Crane”.

Tiger style

as the most rigid and powerful one, it mainly uses tearing energy. In the “Dragon” style, strength does not play a major role; it is dominated by the flow of energy in the form of a wave from the head to the legs, the ability to simultaneously act with all parts of the body, which presupposes that a person has an impeccable vestibular apparatus.

Leopard style

"is based on the ability to accumulate elastic force and splash it out in throws and jumps. During training, special attention is paid

lower limbs and lower back. The instant reaction makes him the most dangerous. "Snake" style

characterized by low flowing movements, a change in state from maximum tension during a strike to complete relaxation. The principle of operation of this style is to wrap itself around the enemy, choke him, squeezing him with a ring, or hit him with a precise blow to a vulnerable spot.

Crane style

characterized by special endurance, balance, excellent stretching. During preparation, special attention is paid to footwork in various stances, as well as the ability to balance while standing on one leg.

As a rule, Shaolin monks studied the basics of all animal styles. Having mastered them, they began to specialize in one of them, in the one that most corresponded to their psychophysical characteristics.
The Art of Energy Management

The Shaolin monks attached special importance to the art of energy management and carefully guarded its secrets. They learned to transform their energy into a kind of armor capable of protecting the body from blows, injections, chopping with a sword or saber...

On the basis of Shaolin Wushu, a variety of styles took shape and developed. For example, the “Monkey” school synthesized the movements of monkeys, macaques, and chimpanzees. An abundance of acrobatic elements, a special position of the hands, special training for the eyes and head, numerous antics made the masters of this direction one of the most skilled in wushu. The styles of “The Drunkard”, “Rolling on the Ground”, and “Mitsun” are filled with complex acrobatics. They are based on a quick change of movements (walking forward, jumping back), instant transitions from one movement to another, rolls, falls, blows delivered from unexpected positions, as well as a sharp change in psychophysical states.

For centuries, the monastery managed to coexist peacefully with secular authorities. During the war with the Manchus, Shaolin served as a shelter and place of assistance to the rebels, but the monks did not take part directly in hostilities. And yet, under Emperor Kangxi (1662-1722), a merciless war was declared on Shaolin. The monastery was completely destroyed, most of the monks died. Legend has it that only five of them managed to escape to the cities of Southern China. It is these monks who are considered the founders of the southern version of wushu.

The five large southern schools of wushu are named after the master monks from Shao-lin who founded them.

The third direction in folk wushu is Emean

It gets its name from the Emean Mountains, located in Sichuan Province. There were many Buddhist and Taoist monasteries here, in which the Emei Pai movement was formed, which includes over 60 different styles based on Wudang psycho-training and Shaolin fist fighting.

The most famous are the 8 main Emean styles (4 large and 4 small), which combine both northern and southern schools of wushu.

The four major styles are Yue-men, Zhao-men, Du-men and Seng-men. Each of them is also associated with numerous legends, from which the creators of modern films about wushu masters draw inspiration.

The story of the master “Magic Leg”

The story of the master Ma Heizi, nicknamed “The Magic Leg,” is connected with the Zhao-men style. The founder of one of the three famous Red Fist styles took a man named Zhang Tanfu as his student. Having completed the entire course of study, he settled in Sichuan and took Ma Heizi as his student. Together they opened the Red Fist school in 1875. After the death of his teacher, Ma Heizi lived as a hermit for several years, perfecting his style. He introduced the technique of kicks and blocks into the “Red Fist”, developed and improved the technique of escapes and movements. Having finished his hermitage, Ma Heizi opened a wushu school in the city of Chengdu. His skill was so skillful that he received an invitation to teach wushu in the army. After the death of Ma Heizi, his style was called Zhao-men in memory of the then famous commander Zhao Kuanying, although he had nothing to do with the creation of this style.

Du-men style

associated with the name of Du Guanyin from Jiangxi province, who settled in Sichuan in the 40s of the 18th century. The basis of his style was to follow "naturalness to find equilibrium and balance." For this purpose, ten ways of approaching the enemy and the “8 grips and painful locks” technique were used.

The close distance characteristic of the Du-men style required a special hand technique, which combined techniques of grabbing the wrist, twisting the joints, stretching the limbs, stretching the joints until they broke, striking and pressing at certain points. For this, Du Guanyin and his followers created a special system for practicing hand grip and finger strength training. It included exercises for juggling balls of various sizes, weights, raw eggs, as well as for catching arrows fired from a bow, throwing knives, etc.

Throwing system in Du-men

different from other styles. Using the force of twisting and rotation, the pressure was first applied to the pressure point, then the opponent was thrown to the ground rather than lifted up. A similar principle is used in Aikido. To avoid throws, a system of releases was developed, similar to the Tao “72 Shaolin grabs and releases.”

The characteristic Du-men principle of using several parallel actions at the same time - gripping, footwork, pressing on a painful point - required a perfect psychophysical apparatus.

The exceptional truth of the Eastern tradition, others - about the incompatibility of the culture and traditions of different peoples, others simply tend to reject everything foreign as alien.

Let me immediately, in order to avoid possible misunderstandings, explain that “Russian” in this article the author means everything that relates to Russia, based on its belonging to characteristic geographical, historical, traditional, cultural and social characteristics. Nationality, in this case, is not considered as a determining factor.

Let's pose the question more broadly: what are martial arts for in general?

The answer is, of course, easier. Some people just want to learn a few effective self-defense techniques in order to feel more confident in an aggressive environment on the street, some want to improve their health, some are attracted by the ambience of a particular style, and some (but this is in exceptional cases) wants to learn how to manage the internal energy of the body and improve their psychophysical abilities.

From the above, a functional division familiar to Western consciousness usually follows: “If you want to learn how to fight, take up boxing; if you want to learn how to fight “beautifully”, go to the karate, taekwondo, wushu, etc. section, but if you don’t want to fight, you want to to work with energy, that is, such a mysterious word “qigong”... and also “taijiquan”..."

Unfortunately, various types of martial arts, and wushu in particular, are rarely perceived as full-fledged systems of self-improvement, once created by great masters and reaching our time through the careful transfer of knowledge from teacher to student, often over many generations.

Apparently, this perception of martial arts has developed in Russia due to two circumstances. The first is the relatively short period of their open, unprohibited existence (in fact, only from the mid-1980s - early 1990s), and the second - most importantly - a purely utilitarian social consciousness: take only what is useful and can be used - Here and now. Why years of training? Why master the tradition comprehensively, if almost everywhere you can get the most “necessary” piece of it for an affordable price?

In fact, a person at least slightly familiar with the history of oriental martial arts knows that all independent styles of Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai and other martial arts were created by people of the highest level of skill, not just as a set of blows, blocks, characteristic of a particular style, complexes, methods of combat. They were created precisely as systems for the development and improvement of a person - a fighter. Naturally, such systems included various inextricable components: and general equipment, and learning complexes, and pair work, and breathing exercises, and special exercises aimed at developing the ability to control internal energy flows.

Thus, in particular, training in Shaolinquan is traditionally divided into the following four sections.

The first section - quanshu - working with bare hands: includes mastering basic technology, movements, acrobatic elements, as well as basic complexes - taolu.

The second section - duilian - pair work: includes practicing basic techniques in pairs, performing taolu in pairs, studying methods of real combat interaction and self-defense (sanda).

The third section – bingqi – work with various types traditional weapons.

The fourth section is neigong - breathing and meditative exercises aimed at controlling the internal energy of qi. [E.V. Chertovskikh, E.I. Glebov. Shaolinquan for Beginners / 2004, 8]

If we talk about disciplines that until the 20th century. the monks of the Shaolin Monastery (Chinese: Shaolins) studied, they were as follows:

1. Buddhism (pho) - was the study of the basic Buddhist codes and canons, monastic rules (vinaya), the fundamentals meditation practice and contemplation;
2. Martial art (u) - included the practice of martial arts, methods of maintaining physical health, and horse riding.
3. Medical art(s) are the basics of massage, the use and composition of medicinal balms, products, ointments, the use of poisons and various substances in medical practice.
4. “Civil Sciences” (wen) - included classes in calligraphy, poetry, study classical literature and painting. [Shi Deqian, A.A. Maslov. Bodhidharma Gymnastics / 2006, 22]

Thus, we can say that Shaolins trained not just Buddhist fighters. The example of a Shaolin monk combined a Buddhist ascetic, an educated, well-rounded person and a martial artist.

Many believe that martial art is necessary to use it at every opportunity, taking advantage of your superior mastery of combat equipment.

Such people can be advised to study for at least a year with a real mentor - a bearer of any of the martial arts traditions, in order to understand that this is not the case at all. And even more than that, in the language of the old saying: “Martial art is made not to be used.” This refers, of course, to its direct physical application.

Perhaps the above proverb may seem paradoxical at first glance. She really does sound strange. In explaining its meaning, the commandments of martial morality (wu-te) of Shaolins, formulated in one of the latest editions by the abbot of the monastery Shi Zhengxu (1893-1955), will help. Here are some of the most important ones:

1. The main goal of one who studies our technique is to strengthen the body and spirit. He must study from dawn to dusk and cannot stop studying whenever he pleases.
2. Those who improve military techniques do this only for the sake of self-defense, strengthening their own blood and qi circulation, cultivating courage and bravery in battle. One who violates this commits the same crime as one who violates Buddhist precepts.
3. When communicating with a mentor every day, you must be extremely respectful of him and you cannot commit actions that show arrogance and disdain.
4. One should behave gently and courteously towards one's fellow men, be sincere and avoid deception. You cannot flaunt your strength and offend the weak.
5. If during your journey you meet a layman, the main thing is that you must patiently honor the inferior one to save him and you cannot rashly demonstrate your technique.
6. Beware of the spirit of competition, and also avoid the habit of greedy self-praise. By doing this you are killing yourself, and besides, you are poisoning other people, who knows how many. The life principle of such people who practice martial arts is either boasting about their technique or the thirst for enrichment, so all this is just splashes that go beyond the key principles of Wushu. Such people are the scum of the Chan school. Who brought shame into this world through a short time will be rewarded with death. Is this the meaning of art created by the first teachers?! All followers should remember this firmly. [E.V. Chertovskikh, E.I. Glebov. Shaolinquan for Beginners / 2004, 8-12]

The famous sinologist V.V. Malyavin wrote in one of his books about martial arts that, according to the old masters, the meaning of wushu training is that it cultivates virtue in people, and those who are deprived of this virtue will not achieve anything in wushu. The word “virtue” in this case conveys the Chinese concept of de, which has very little in common with the familiar idea of ​​virtue as adherence to generally accepted moral rules. We are talking about a certain internal, only symbolically expressed perfection of things, the fullness of life properties, which acts as the limit of each individual existence. In a word, a virtuous person in the Chinese sense, or a person de, lives at the limit of his existence, using the fullness of his vital properties. [V.V. Malyavin. Martial arts: China, Japan / 2002, 13]

The author of this article has more than once heard from masters and people who have been practicing martial arts for many years, stories about how, after achieving a high level of proficiency in any technique, they sought (most often due to their youth) to test themselves in practice. Some even deliberately went to dangerous areas of the city at late times of the day in search of imminent trouble. And so, when the conflict seemed to be inevitable, the situation suddenly defused, and... the parties simply separated, patting each other on the shoulder.

Isn’t this a sign of the action of that same martial virtue, instilled in fighters by their teachers and the learning process itself...? It is not without reason that it is said that a master is able to defuse a tense situation with just his presence. What can we say about bringing it to open physical confrontation.

Having given this example, the author, of course, does not suggest that anyone repeat such “feats.” The people who told the stories mentioned were people who devoted a significant part of their lives to martial arts and were ready to give an uncompromising rebuff to any aggression with lightning speed and high accuracy. And, most importantly, able to fully control themselves in any situation.

And, nevertheless, a true master will use the technique in a conflict situation only as a last resort in case of self-defense. At the same time, he will be driven to a greater extent by compassion for the attacker, which consists in preventing the person from causing harm to others and himself (if not physical, then through the contamination of karma (that is, sin). The aggression of such a person in the event of a meeting with a master will most likely be neutralized with one or two short attacks.

It should also be noted that the importance of martial arts for spiritual improvement is determined by the fact that an extreme situation, a feeling of very real danger created by classes in old schools and, of course, in Shaolins, contributed to the mobilization of all mental resources and the cultivation of fortitude, which always stems from equanimity. peace. The entire philosophy of Chinese martial arts in this context can be expressed by the saying of the ancient Taoist sage:

“In little fear there is prudence,

In great fear - reckless courage..."

Chuang Tzu, IV-III centuries. BC.

The question of why we need Chinese Wushu is often posed with an emphasis on the word “Chinese”. In fact, why Chinese?

Wushu could not be Chinese, but something else. And it could be called differently. If not for one circumstance: for some reason in the entire history of mankind, nowhere on our planet was a more ancient and perfect system of martial arts created, preserved and carried through the centuries (it is important to comply with all three listed conditions). Moreover, the system is available today for mastering at one level or another by any person, regardless of his nationality, gender, age and religious beliefs.

Of course, the Chinese masters themselves have always sought to protect their art from prying eyes, “random” people and, especially, foreigners. Until recently, there simply was not a single truly dedicated follower of Shaolinquan or other styles of Chinese Wushu outside of China.

Today we are witnessing the emergence of Wushu Shaolinquan beyond the monastery walls and beyond the borders of the Celestial Empire itself. Moreover, the decision to transfer the tradition to foreigners was made by the Shaolin monks themselves even before the monastery was transformed into a tourist attraction, which, unfortunately, it has become today. Shaolin Wushu came out into the world. And this is seen as the great mission of the Chinese people, represented by many generations of Shaolin wusens (fighting monks), who have kept the tradition for centuries.

However, having entered the world, Shaolin Wushu has by no means lost its protective properties, protecting it from people who are not ready to perceive it. The training system in Shaolinquan itself is structured in such a way that mastering each block of knowledge and techniques, starting with the basic technique, up to the techniques of “internal achievement” of Neigong and further, to infinity of improvement, can only be done by shedding a lot of sweat, or even blood, on the floor of the training hall . The student simply will not understand the principles of more complex techniques until his body and mind are sufficiently ready for it. Perhaps this topic could be devoted to a separate big book– there is no point in trying to present all its aspects in one small article.

As an example, we can say that any Shaolin complex - taolu, including even the simplest “training” complexes, requires at least 3-4 levels of mastery. Starting with learning the basic ligaments and movements, the student, as he is ready, gradually masters the breathing methods used in the process of performing the complex, comes to remember its rhythm, and so on, until he masters the techniques of combat use of internal qi energy. As a result, the fighter becomes able to perform the complex as a single whole, as if merging with the movement itself, penetrating into the very essence of the taolu laid down by the master creator.

The situation is similar with all other sections of Shaolinquan. It can take years to master them and, especially, to achieve a high level of proficiency in the relevant techniques.

Of course, Russians are not Chinese. We are different. We have different body constitutions, different sets of genetic characteristics, different genetic “memories”. Even if you comply with all the technical requirements, following the Chinese tradition, Russian people will still get “Russian” wushu.

The more interesting it is! This proves the universality of Shaolinquan: in the Russian version it can be no less effective than in the Chinese one.

Despite differences in racial and national characteristics, the human body anywhere on the globe is a reduced-scale model of the same Universe. Our bodies obey the same laws, they circulate energy in the same way, and they generally respond in the same way to certain types of training.

It is also interesting to look at the problem of perception of Chinese Wushu in the Western world and in Russia from the point of view of the psychology of public consciousness and comparison of the mentality of Western and Eastern peoples. Let us note only some features of society characteristic of Western and Eastern types of civilizations.

In the West, since ancient times, a model of society has evolved, the basis of which is the individual. This model is sometimes called “cellular” - that is, consisting of individual cells - individuals. We can say that the entire Western civilization is built on individualism, on the human “I”. This worldview determined the political and economic structure of the West, its culture and philosophy. Hence - democracy, civil society, the sanctity of private property, great sports achivments, competitions and records.

The symbol of China and the entire Eastern civilization as a whole can be called a circle or, even more figuratively, a ball (it is appropriate to recall the rising sun on the Japanese flag or traditional round Chinese lanterns). Society itself is a single whole, the role of the individual in which is largely blurred. “I” is, if not absent, then unnoticed. There is a state, a people, a clan, a family. It should be noted that human life itself has never been highly valued in China. Moreover, this applied to all social classes - from peasants and soldiers to senior government officials throughout the history of the country.

In such socio-cultural conditions, the individual is a part, or rather, an element of a single whole - both society and the whole world, all existence.

“Tao gives birth to one, one gives birth to two, two gives birth to three, and three gives birth to all beings (in other versions of the translation - “all the darkness of things”) ...”

As for Wushu, its function is to develop and improve the individual abilities of an individual person, as the above-mentioned element of a large whole - an element of society, an element of the Universe. Thus, we can say that Wushu was created with the idea of ​​​​improving all people through one person.

This idea is also consonant with the concept of Chan Buddhism - Mahayana Buddhism ("Great Vehicle"), which lies at the spiritual basis of Shaolin Wushu. Founded by Bodhidharma, the 28th patriarch of Buddhism, Chan Buddhism teaches that moving to a qualitatively more high level spiritual development humanity is capable only after all people (and even more broadly, all living beings) achieve the state of consciousness necessary for this qualitative transition. This is precisely the service of a bodhisattva - a person with an enlightened consciousness, capable of going to nirvana, but voluntarily remaining in this world to save as many living beings as possible, realizing that his personal achievements do not mean that much. Thus, a bodhisattva dedicates his life to saving others for the common good.

However, we will not delve into discussions about the spiritual component of Chinese Wushu in order to avoid deviating from the topic of this article. Suffice it to say that the success of Shaolinquan practice hardly depends on a person’s religious affiliation. Patience and perseverance in training are much more important.

The Russian people, living at the junction of two polar civilizations - East and West, combine the properties inherent in each of them. Here is the so-called Russian “conciliarity”, great importance communities, families, which is characteristic of Eastern civilization. And, at the same time, the eternal individual desire of the Russian person for fame, wealth, power, which is so characteristic of Western society with its values. It is important to note that what distinguishes Russia from the West is the division of social life into spiritual and secular. The church in Russia has never ruled the state, but only helped the secular authorities in this. Although, at the same time, only an Orthodox politician - a believer - could always enjoy true authority in Russia (with the exception of the Soviet period - and then, with certain reservations). This series of contradictory features of Russian society can be continued further.

Be that as it may, whether Russia was formed as a result of the “fusion” of Eastern and Western values ​​in Russian people or due to the action of other factors, it is original and represents a special path of development of a multinational civilization.

Based on the above, we can only conclude that the true essence of wushu in Russia can be understood better than in the West. The West has always been and is more interested in the sports component of wushu - an element of tradition, torn from it, like a phrase from a text. Undoubtedly, such a way of perceiving the ancient Chinese tradition for Russia would be erroneous.

Wushu teaches naturalness. More precisely, it shows the way to return to that natural naturalness of a person, inherent in him from birth and often lost in the process of life. This is especially true for residents of cities, where the external environment itself is unnatural for humans, which, as a consequence, forms an unnatural way of life.

In most cases, people coming to training for the first time are constrained by tension in various parts of the body. Most often, such tension is largely psychological in nature. The problem with the modern city dweller is that he is accustomed to tension. But such a habit does not lead to anything good. Internal “blocks” and “clamps” do not allow internal energy to circulate freely through the channels of the body intended for this. There is no full exchange of energy with the outside world, with the Cosmos. As a result, the quality of life in general deteriorates, a person gets sick and grows old ahead of time.

“...A person at his birth is tender and weak, but at death he is hard and strong. All creatures and plants are tender and weak at birth, and dry and rotten at death. The hard and strong is what perishes, and the tender and weak is what begins to live..."

"Tao Te Ching", VI-V centuries. BC.

Wushu teaches relaxation techniques. Even during a short time of practicing wushu, a person can at least feel the natural, relaxed state of his body, that correct form of positions and movements provided by nature itself. Over time, a person is able to master this so-called “culture” of movements and, having consolidated these skills, use them not only in the training room, but also in everyday life.

No blow can be delivered effectively without relaxation. The force of the blow is achieved not through muscle effort, but through the formation of the necessary impulse throughout the body. At the same time, the whole body becomes like a wave, throwing out the striking arm or leg. Everyone knows about this good fighter in any form of martial arts. In this regard, one can recall Bruce Lee’s phrase addressed to his students: “Become water, my friend.” Or the following quote.

“Water is the softest and weakest creature in the world, but in overcoming the hard and strong it is invincible, and in the world there is no equal to it...”

"Tao Te Ching", VI-V centuries. BC.

According to the author, the use of wushu training methods, for example, in physical education programs in kindergartens and schools could be of great benefit. After all, even only one physical training (general training muscles and tendons, stretching, taolu) without paying attention to other aspects of training, contribute to correct formation skeleton, develop coordination of movements, strengthen the vestibular apparatus. The most important thing is that, performing even the simplest set of movements - taolu, a small person, not yet accustomed to tension, will be able, through his own own body feel and internalize the correct interaction of various forces in nature. In traditional Chinese terms, this can be called the law of interaction between the forces of yin and yang, that is, the feminine and masculine principles.

The fact is that any complex, martial or qigong complex, is built in Wushu according to certain rules. Depending on the purpose of the complex, the movements in it alternate in the appropriate sequence, based on their “Yin” or “Yang” nature. These sequences of interpenetrating movements are surprisingly harmonious - a sharp lunge will certainly be followed by a soft escape with a block or evasion, a series of blows will occur with a change in the level of attack, straight-line movements are replaced by round ones, etc. All movements contain deep meaning and are carefully preserved within the framework of tradition. Making any changes or innovations is considered unacceptable.

From this point of view, it seems that taolu in wushu contain peculiar codes, by learning to “read” which, you can learn to better understand the structure of the world around you and yourself.

In conclusion, I would like to express the hope that this article will serve as a reason for readers to learn more about Chinese Wushu, and, perhaps, find in it their own path of physical and spiritual development. Only practice can give everyone the answer to the question of why we need Wushu.

The martial monks of the famous Shaolin monastery claim that the skill cannot be taught, because it is invisible and can only be practiced. Diligent study, patience in hardship and persistent training will allow you to gain knowledge, strengthen the body, cultivate will and character - this is the basis of the world's largest martial arts school, located next to the Shaolin Monastery at the foot of the sacred Songshan Mountain in Henan Province.

The Shaolin Tagou school of traditional Chinese wushu was founded almost 40 years ago by a seventh-generation master and lay student of the Shaolin Monastery, Liu Baoshan. An ordinary school has turned into a real empire: thousands of square meters of territory with gyms and training bases, 35 thousand students and 900 coaches. It is important that these days in Shaolin Tagou they teach not only traditional wushu, but also boxing, taekwondo, MMA, Shaolin football and even fight choreography for cinema. Shaolin Tagou graduates annually join the ranks of the Chinese army, police and intelligence services.

We tell you how the Shaolin Tagou school lives.

A melting pot of military discipline

The main feature of the school is Wushu, and the basis, according to the leaders, is education. In "Tagou" they study from primary to high school general education subjects; At the same time, children are accepted from the age of five or six, but there is no upper threshold - people over thirty can also “enter.” The main criterion is that schooling is paid. 1 month of full-time training here costs a thousand dollars, a year - 10 thousand [ information from the school's official website].

The director of the school's propaganda department, Feng Weifeng, says the following:

Feng Weifeng: Some come to us because of the popularity of the school, for some Wushu is a hobby, some are brought by their parents, some children are sent here because they are naughty and uncontrollable. There are also those who come to our school influenced by kungfu films. They also want to become famous martial arts actors.

The discipline at the school is “army”: getting up at 5:30 to the sounds of a real military march, exercises and breakfast, after the first training and lessons in general subjects, lunch and another training, lessons, dinner and another training, lights out. There is no mobile phones And computer games, and communication with parents is allowed only via a designated landline telephone. Schoolchildren usually go home once a year.

Of course, Tagou students wear clothes according to the dress code: black sweatpants, red trowels and the famous Feiyue sneakers. Schoolchildren live in dormitory rooms without heating for 10-20 people. Clothes are washed independently in ordinary basins. Teachers and older friends help the little ones at first.

Mr. Feng Weifeng compares the school to a melting pot.

Feng Weifeng: This school is like a melting furnace, like a crucible, disobedience is only a temporary phenomenon. There are so many obedient children, there is such an atmosphere here, and they become infected by it. There are also those who really can’t stand it and leave.

According to Weifeng, every year about a hundred students fail to cope with the strict schedule and discipline. Some even dare to escape. Therefore, security guards are on duty at all departures, the role of which is performed by the schoolchildren themselves. The fact is that students under 18 years of age can leave Tagou only by decision of their parents.

Feng Weifeng: This is not to say that once you enter our school, you will not be able to leave it. There are also those who run away. Having brought them back, we educate them with conviction, explain to them the difficulties of human life, admonish them, help, show care and love.

Well, schoolchildren who have been studying at Tagou for many years already know: it’s only difficult at the beginning, then habit and patience come. The main thing is not to stop halfway.

Demand: do not use corporal punishment against students

The director of the school's propaganda department, Feng Weifeng, answering the question of whether schoolchildren are beaten for violating discipline, assured that such methods are strictly prohibited. However, Weifeng immediately added that martial arts schools in China used to practice corporal punishment - this was the norm.

Feng Weifeng: We have a strict requirement that no corporal punishment be used against students. Modern parents have a completely different attitude towards this. Yes, a child may study poorly, but you cannot beat him for it. In past years, in Wushu schools - you know, we have so many here in Dengfeng - corporal punishment was common. And in general, there was such a traditional way of education in Chinese schools, so sometimes everyone can endure being hit with a stick a couple of times in a soft place. But now you can't just hit a child and get away with it. If this happens, his parents will sue you. Now the law is very strong.

Interestingly, even fights between students happen extremely rarely. Coaches and school representatives are ready to arrange a duel between conflicting schoolchildren - with mutual consent and under judicial control. In this context, it is important that, according to the school rules, coaches live with their students in the dormitory, eat with them and in most cases know about all the frictions and disagreements. Each coach is assigned 40-50 schoolchildren.

Girls and boys study in different groups and rarely overlap

There are 35 thousand students in Shaolin Tagou, and only about three thousand of them are girls. Schooling is divided by gender: boys and girls study in different groups and rarely overlap.

Schoolgirls say that practicing martial arts makes them bolder, more courageous and they are not afraid of any difficulties.

According to school spokesman Feng Weifeng, boys and girls are rarely together at school, and open "love stories" are not allowed at school.

Feng Weifeng: Our boys and girls study in separate groups. There are separate male and female dormitories. Of course, maybe they have a secret love, but there is no such phenomenon openly.

Answering the question about whether their former students, who also master martial arts, become criminals, Feng Weifeng says that this is also possible, but there is no need to connect it with the school.

Feng Weifeng: What, from Tsinghua University [China's most prestigious university] are issued only good people? No matter what kind of moral education the school gives, once they enter society, we are no longer able to control them. Therefore, one should look at martial arts schools objectively. We are the same as other schools, only we have one more discipline. There is no need to look at us in an extremely subjective way.

According to the representative educational institution, the important thing is that at a martial arts school, students can develop a will that will be very useful to them in independent life in society.

Many people know about the Shaolin Monastery in China; films have been made about it and written in books and newspapers.

Everyone knows that the monks of this monastery possessed unusual martial arts.

So, the birthplace of the martial art of Wushu is the Chinese province of Henan. Namely, the origin took place in the famous Shaolin monastery.

What it is

Wushu, translated from Chinese, means “to stop aggression or martial art”; in the West it is called kung fu. A person who masters Wushu techniques is called a Wushuist.

The creator of this unique martial arts was the former patriarch Bodhidharma in the middle of the 6th century AD, he was also the creator and laid the foundations for the Chen sect, called Zen in Japan.

When Bodhidharma came to the Shaolin Monastery, he began to talk about the new teaching.

And then he saw in the first lesson that many students were weak in body and spirit, that is, they fell asleep during classes.

And so he decided to create a physical and psychological preparation special exercises called “18 movements of the hands of Arhats” (Arhat is a superman or demigod, translated from Sanskrit - worthy).

In these 18 simple combinations, first they stood up on defense, then they struck, and in the end there were a lot of combinations, about several thousand.

Even before the creation of Wushu in the 2nd - 3rd century, a famous physician named Hua-to developed therapeutic exercises– Games of five animals, which included a bear, a bird, a tiger, a monkey, a deer, that is, an imitation of these animals.

But it was also used not only for medicinal purposes, but also for combat. When he died, he left behind a huge and scientific legacy.

This gymnastics still exists today, you can watch it in this video:

Styles

Soon, the Shaolin monks began to develop styles of animals and insects, imitating the elements of water, wind, fire and air.

Now there are several thousand styles of Wushu. For example, the names of famous wushu styles - the most famous is Taijiquan (Great Limit Fist), it includes slow and plastic movements that fascinate with their beauty, the beauty of these movements is not only external, but also internal, that is, a person feels all the beauty in his body.

There is also a style of wushu Tanglangquan or Mantis style created by master Wang Lan from Shandong province.

Tanglangquan includes fast movements, flexibility, and grips.

Using it, you will know all the beauty, and to know it, you need desire and willpower, then you will reach the heights of perfection itself.

Now the martial art of Wushu exists almost everywhere, some use it for combat, and others for medicinal purposes. Wushu is also a kind of gymnastics. There is also the sport of wushu sanda - free contact combat.

You can start practicing it if you want to get to know it better, here is the title of the book - author I-Shen - “We start wushu gymnastics from scratch.” Read, enjoy and be healthy!

Watch a video about the martial art of Wushu:

Location: Dengfeng
Opened in 1978, the Tagou Institute's Shaolin Martial Arts School is dedicated to developing the knowledge of Shaolin Kung Fu. Its goal is to spread the core style of Shaolin Wushu.

2. Shaolin College Epo Wushu

Location: Dengfeng
Henan Dengfeng Shaolin Epo Wushu College was founded in 1977, and it is also one of the earliest professional martial arts schools after the founding of the People's Republic of China. The college has excellent conditions and convenient transport access. This is a garden style modernization school that pays attention to culture like teaching and learning Wushu.

3. Longwu Kungfu Center

Location: Shanghai
Longwu Kung Fu is one of the most famous and popular martial arts centers in Shanghang. Equipped with spacious training areas, safety mats, wooden dummies and a wide range of weapons, it is the ideal place to teach martial arts students - of all ages and standards.

4. Martial Arts School - Shaolin Xiaolong Temple

Location: Dengfeng
Shaolin Temple Xiaolong martial arts. The school was established in 1980, which is not only the first comprehensive martial arts school assembling training personnel in the fields of science, martial arts and cinema, but also one of the KungFu training institutions approved by the Ministry of Education to employ foreign students.

5. Martial Arts Academy - Siping Shaolin

Location: Henan
Siping City Shaolin Academy of Martial Arts was established in 1995 by Shi Xingkuo who was the 32nd disciple of monk Shao Lin. This is the only martial arts school in Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning that is open to foreigners. In total, about 2,000 foreigners from 50 countries study here.

6. Zhonghua School of Martial Arts Shandong Laizhou

Location: Laizhou
Zhonghua Martial Arts School of Shandong Laizhou was established in 1992 and has graduated more than 2,900 students. Currently the largest international school integrating education and KungFu training.

7. Wushu school at the Shaolin Temple Harbin

Location: Harbin
Founded in 1994, Harbin Shaolin Temple Wushu School is located in the National Scenic Spot, a popular tourist area with beautiful surroundings.

8. Jiading Shanghai Martial Arts School

Location: Shanghai
Shanghai Jiading Martial Arts School is invested by Shanghai Feng Jia House Real Estate Company to design and build in accordance with the Ming and Qing Dynasties style Dynasites, offering both basic education and martial arts programs.

9. Chenjiagou Martial Arts College

Location: Henan
Chenjiagou Martial Arts College is the largest school that provides not only academic education, but also martial education based on Tai Chi. Chenjiagou Martial Arts College was founded by Grandmaster Wang Xian who is the 19th generation successor of Chen Shi Taiji and an international level Wushu master.

10 Shaolin Wushu School in Beijing
Location: Beijing
The Beijing Shaolin and Wushu school has excellent trainers in the Wushu style, who have produced famous people who master the Wushu style and have rich experience in theoretical and practical training.