09/19/2024
THE 36 CHAMBERS OF THE FUKIEN SHAOLIN TEMPLE
circa 1724-1768
Contrary to popular belief in the West, Martial Arts training played only a supplemental role in the training of the Shaolin Monks. Martial arts training was encouraged in the belief that a strong body would encourage and foster spiritual training.
Since most modern martial arts descended from or were
influenced by Shaolin Kung Fu, it is not surprising that Buddhist philosophy has a profound influence on those arts.
The southern Chinese Shaolin temple at Fukien contained 36 martial arts training chambers / halls. The monks would advance to each successive chamber only upon completing the requirements of the previous chamber. Many were discouraged by the arduous training. Some, after a year or so, sought to leave without permission. These escapees were a great source of embarrassment to the monastery, since they were incapable of meeting challenges from other martial artists.
To prevent the monks of the Fukien Shaolin Temple from leaving before their religious and martial arts training was completed, Abbott Gee Sin dictated that no Monk could leave the temple without going through the 36th and final chamber.
Within this chamber was “The Hall of the 108 Wooden Men" This was the most difficult of all the chambers! It was designed to be a final test of a monk’s martial arts abilities.
Some legends indicate that the Wooden Men were wooden dummies fitted with mechanical devices. The dummies could be triggered by monks outside of the chamber to simulate random attacks. Other accounts seem to indicate that they were actually men wearing wooden armour. The exact nature of the dummies has been lost due to their destruction (along with the Shaolin Temples) in the 17th and 18th centuries.
Passing through the Hall of the Wooden Men was a life or death undertaking. Many monks were killed or seriously injured in their attempt to go through the hall! Needless to say, many who wished to leave the temple simply escaped rather than face this task!
The story of the 108 Wooden Men of the Shaolin temple has become legendary! It has been romanticized in many Kung Fu movies of the mid 70’s.
After passing through the Hall of the 108 Wooden Men, the graduating student would face one last formidable task. A large, smoldering iron urn blocked the student’s path to the outside. The student was required to move the urn out of the way using only his forearms to grasp the urn. Lifting the smoldering urn would permanently burn the outline of a Tiger and Dragon onto his forearms - the mark of a graduated Shaolin Monk! This final task was shown in the opening credits of the original Kung Fu Television Series (1972-1975).
Here is a clip from the show that depicts Shaolin Monk Caine’s martial arts training and departure from the temple:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmF0RqazR_8
The television show Kung Fu was one of the most historically accurate depictions of life at the Shaolin temple. I highly recommend that you purchase the 3 complete seasons that are available on DVD! The fight scenes don’t hold up after all these years but the essence of the philosophy and history of Shaolin is accurately captured in every show!
This clip is taken from the pilot episode. Starring David Carradine as Caine, Keye Luke as Master Po. The other Masters are not credited.
