Traditional Shaolin Kung Fu - Is there such a thing?

[StandUPGuy]

Well, I wish i could sum up an answer for you... but it is really complex. Traditional Shaolin has many faces; in my eyes this means the traditional animals and styles you see in all the old kung fu movies. However, you will often see monk's in the shaolin temple doing what is most often referred to as Wushu. So training what they do in the temple now, and what they used to train, are two very different things. (it all has to do with red china, and the political past of China.) Also, i am not by any means a history major, this is just sort of my understanding of it, if anyone can correct me... by all means.

I can say that if you want to train something that is close to how it was originally taught: kung fu is your guy. I have had many teachers, and just the other day an old friend showed me a form he had learned from a teacher we shared. His version was almost identical to the one that I was taught from a different teacher. This is a typical trend, and it is pretty awesome watching old kung fu movies and seeing someone do a form you are learning today... or meeting someone from another country and doing a form together, almost the same way.

As far as spiritually, the martial side is deeply entwined with it.(in my opinion.) My tip for you: train your face off for hours through the night until you are dead tired, then train some more, until it is about six in the morning and the sun is about to rise. Look to the sun and look into chi gong exercises. Then go have some tea and pass out for a day.

[It is Fake]

Dude stop posting. That doesn't mean it is traditional Shaolin nor does seeing a form in a movie mean it is traditional.

[Ming Loyalist]

it amazes me that people come into this thread, read the first post, decide that they have some super insightful comment to make, and skip actually reading the thread before posting.

yes, standupguy, i am talking about you. IIF is right. stop posting. you have added nothing to the thread.