72 Arts of Shaolin Kungfu

[Ray]

Dear Friends,

While surfing on the Internet I am finding conflicting lists of the 72 Arts of Shaolin Kungfu. Since I am sure that the many esteemed members of this forum have a more accurate list I would really appreciate it if someone could post the 72 Arts or what they believe are the 72 Arts.

Thank you,

Sincerely,

Divineshadow

[Markus Kahila]

Here is a book you might find helpful:

"72 consummate arts secrets of the Shaolin Temple"

Compiled by Wu Jiaming ; translated by Rou Gang, revised by Yang Yinrong

Published: Fuzhou : Fujian Science and Technology Publishing House, 1992
(Chinese Kung Fu series)

Haven't read it myself, so I cannot say for sure how legitimate it is. I've just seen it a couple times at our university's chinese studies' department.


Good luck with your search!

[beggarsu]

It should be noted that there is of course no official list, because the selection of what arts to include are completely arbitrary. The number of specialties recorded of the shaolin masters far excede 72. Pak Mei learned his fighting skills at shaolin, one of which was Cotton Belly. Cotton Belly is not listed in any 72 arts list I know of. Even more famous ones like small universe (Which has tremendous combat application! It for instance builds more internal force than any of the usual "72 arts". Which is what many of them are intended to do to begin with!). Nevertheless, the list here http://www.shaolinwolf.com/ubb/ultim...c/6/715/2.html seems to match my copy of the popular book "72 Consummate Arts Secrets Of The Shaolin Temple" published by Fujian Science And Technology Publishing House.

[beggarsu]

Also, the arts in the mentioned book aren't from any particular list or record. The compiler is Wu Jiaming, as in, it was compiled from various sources and records.

[Ray]

Thank you.

I looked over the list but it sure seems rather strange. A lot of the arts seemed to based off painful conditioning which doesn't make much sense from my point of view. Oh well, doesn't really matter. Quality over quantity is how I see it.

Divineshadow

[Markus Kahila]

A blast from the past

Let's rekindle this ancient thread.


Many may have heard of the 72 Arts of Shaolin, since many legendary arts including Golden Bell and Light-Body Skill are there, and also because there's been a widely translated compilation of these arts attributed to Jin Jing Zhong and published by Tanjin in 1934.

As mentioned before, first time I ran across a mention of these arts was during my university studies at the department of East-Asian Studies in Helsinki. An English translation of one compilation was sitting on the shelf of the department library, and browsing through its pages was like watching a training montage from the wildest kungfu movie never filmed.


For those who are interested, a glossary of the Tanjin book on the 72 Shaolin Arts can be found here:

http://www.kungfulibrary.com/shaolin-kung-fu-4.htm



Later, when starting my training in the Shaolin arts with Sifu Wong, I realized many of these 72 Arts are actually found in our school.



A question for fun:

Which of the 72 Shaolin Arts can you name that we are actually practicing right now in Shaolin Wahnam?



All the best,

[Guest]

Which of the 72 Shaolin Arts can you name that we are actually practicing right now in Shaolin Wahnam?

Definitely these two:

- One Finger Shooting Zen.
- Golden Bell.

This makes me rediscover the great One Finger Shooting Zen.
I'm including that one again in my training as of today, hehe.

[Markus Kahila]

Nice, Tim.


Any more? Finding at least ten should be easy.


Best wishes,

[Guest]

Dear Siheng,

It's not so easy, the translations of the website you mention, are sometimes quite odd haha.

Also, the list doesn't seem to distinguish between exercises and skill.

Alot of the exercises, altough put down individually in this list of 72 techniques,
we could gain some of the skills mentioned here by training less techniques or through different techniques.

I'll give it a try for some more:

Eagle Claw
Mantis Hook
Cosmos Palm

Lying Tiger (Tiger Claw Push-ups, or Hungry Tiger Charges at Prey as in our 18 Lohan Arts?)

Skill of Water Separation (One of the 18 Lohan Hands, Seperating Water?)

Pulling Out a Mountain (Pushing Mountains?)

I'm guessing "Four Part Exercise" is as in our Triple Stretch Combat Sequences in Four Directions, or the Four Gates Sets?

Technique of Horse Saddle (Force training on Horse Stance?)

Best wishes,
Tim

[Markus Kahila]

One more thing to consider;

As Beggarsu stated (some ten years ago), the list is changing, so not all "72 Shaolin Arts" are included in the Tianjin compilation.

However, in my understanding the additions are not necessary arbitary, but the 72 Arts have changed during different times and under different conditions. This may have been dependent on circumstances, practicioners and location.

So, if we open the initial question further, what arts are there that we practice which are on this list, or could be on other versions of this list?


All the best,

[David Langford]

I'll try and put together a list

Already Mentioned:

0. Art of Entering Zen and Chi Flow (Putting it as 0 because it is our foundation that would enhance everything.)

1. Art of Cosmos Palm

2. Art of Eagle Claw

3. Art of Small Universe

4. Art of Mantis Hook

5. Art of Zhan Zhuang

6. Art of 18 Lohan Hands

7. Art of One Finger Shooting Zen/Dim Mak

8. Art of Golden Bell

More:

9. Art of 18 Lohan Gong

10. Art of 1000 Steps

11. Art of Flexibility

12. Art of 100 Kicks

13. Art of Iron Fist

14. Art of Rolling Bamboo/Iron Arm

15. Art of Iron Palm

16. Art of Iron Shirt

17. Art of Iron Bridge Plank

18. Art of Tiger Claws

19. Art of Shadowless Kicks

[David Langford]

20. Art of Diamond Palm

21. Art of Bone Marrow Cleansing

22. Art of Sinew Metamorphosis

23. Art of Dragon Force

24. Art of Chin Na

25. Art of Lightness

26. Art of Connecting Bridges (Sensitivty)

27. Art of Stone Locks

28. Art of Dragon Claws

29. Art of Strike Across Space Palm

30. Art of Expanding into the Cosmos

31. Art of Through the Woods

32. Art of Plum Blossom Posts

33. Art of Hit, Thrust, and Eye Sight Training (level 8)

34. Art of Saber Force (level 9)

35. Art of Continuous Cannons (Pressing Attacks)

[Guest]

Great work Sidai

Some more maybe could be:


Big Universe

Phoenix Eye Fist

Art of Falling/ Tumbling

Drunken Fist

Art of Dodging

36 Leg Techniques

Cotton Fist

[Markus Kahila]

Great lists, guys - keep it going! I know there's still some that haven't been mentioned.


All the best,

[David Langford]

Excellent

36. Big Universe

37. Phoenix Eye Fist

38. Art of Falling/ Tumbling

39. Drunken Fist

40. Art of Dodging

41. 36 Leg Techniques(Note: Possibly could include Art of Chi Gerk, Stance Trapping and Sensitivity?)

42. Cotton Fist(Note: Cotton Palm?)

43. Art of One Finger Gold

44. Art of Two Finger Zen

45. Art of 12 Bridges (Iron Wire)

46. Art of Mind Flow

47. Art of Cosmic Breathing (Plus Breath Control)

48. Art of Healing(+Fixing Dim Mak/Opening Points)

49. Art of Opening the Third Eye (Intuition, accepting Cosmic Wisdom/Foresight)

50. Art of Cosmic Shower (+Tapping energy from the Cosmos)

51. Art of Heart to Heart Transmission(Master's Art of Teaching)