SHAOLIN KUNG FU Thirteen Fighting Monks Shaolin Kung Fu gained instant recognition after thirteen fighting monks from the Temple came to the aid of Prince Li Shi Ming during his battles with rebellious generals. When the Prince took the throne as Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) he extended imperial patronage to the Temple, rewarded them with 1500 hectares of land, and sponsored the continuing practice of martial arts within its walls. Today the Wuzu Quan form Shi San Tai Bao is named after these Thirteen Royal Defenders.  Inside the South Shaolin Monastery  The South Shaolin Temple was established in the 9th century after the Tang Dynasty send a group of Shaolin monks south to protect the Fujian coast from attacks by pirates.  The South Shaolin Monastery, also known as the Quanzhou Shaolin Monastery used to be named Zhenguo Eastern Dhyana Shaolin Monastery. According to the South Shaolin Monastery, it is accepted that it was founded in the Tang Dynasty  (618-908), by Master Zhikong who was one of the thirteen guarding monks from the North Shaolin Monastery.  Built in the Quanzhou district of Fujian Province, Kung fu taught here is referred to as Southern Shaolin Kung Fu. Zhikong built 13 buildings at the foot of Qingyuan Mountain. The temple covers an area of about 100 hectares. Monks are divided into 10 levels and all are capable of kung fu. There are thirteen entrances and ten meter high walls.  A feng shui wall appears at the east side of the temple to block out the negative energy outside of the temple.  Though unrelated to this philosophy, today a taoist temple sits on the eastern outer side of the temple.  When the temple was built they focused on the centre, where the great and majestic hall lies.  In the courtyard is where they practice and perform kung fu. The courtyard is protected by two extremely large bayou trees estimated to be between 800-1000 years old. The bayou tree is the provincial tree and are all over the Shaolin grounds and are planted in doubles as it reminds us to keep our body balanced.   The four characters on the hall sign note, “Green Water Moves”, referencing the east lake you can see when standing atop of the hall. Inside the hall there are three buddhas, honouring in the centre, the creator of buddhism, and the buddha of the east and the west.  A smaller statue in the hall represents the head of the army and symbolizing protection. The hand-carved window shutters on the exterior from top to bottom is a flower, vase, bat and water. On a tour with Fashi around the temple he shares this shutter carving together represents safety, longevity and  health.   In another pagoda Fashi points out the white emblem atop of the building, it consists of two bats and in the centre a weapon.  It meaning is the two bats are protecting the authority.  To the edge of the roof is a swirly cloud with the meaning of good luck.  On the west side of the grounds the Goddess of Mercy Pavilion was built at 22 meters high and in the 8-trigrams of Ba Gwa with 8 gates and a three storey size statue of Kwan Yin. The most important female figure in many Buddhist traditions and goddess of compassion. Kwan Yin is a rebirth of the bodhisattva Avolikiteshvara, a monk from a previous eon who was reborn in a heavenly realm and filled with compassion for all living beings. Source:  The History of Goju Budo by Kohai Dianne Hadad, 3rd Degree Blackbelt