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Luohan (martial arts)
Encyclopedia
Luohan quan also known as in Japanese
, literally means "Arhat boxing
". The traditional story of its creation states that it was created by monks in the Shaolin Temple, by observing and imitating the forms and expressions of each Arhat Statue in the temple. Through meditation
and practice, they created a form called "eighteen hand movements of Arhat", which consisted of eighteen combat skills and techniques. Through this, 24 new movements were then created for advancing and retreating during combat
.
Arhat Boxing or Luohan Quan has in total 108 different movements; from six different forms of fist movements, two forms of palm movements, four forms of locking and grappling. Each movement in the art of Arhat Boxing are simple and straight. Each movement represents the simplicity and beauty of the expressions of the Arhat Statues. Each powerful attack is hidden through the movements of Arhat forms.
Here's a quote from Xi Nu Luohan Quan
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
, literally means "Arhat boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
". The traditional story of its creation states that it was created by monks in the Shaolin Temple, by observing and imitating the forms and expressions of each Arhat Statue in the temple. Through meditation
Meditation
Meditation is any form of a family of practices in which practitioners train their minds or self-induce a mode of consciousness to realize some benefit....
and practice, they created a form called "eighteen hand movements of Arhat", which consisted of eighteen combat skills and techniques. Through this, 24 new movements were then created for advancing and retreating during combat
Combat
Combat, or fighting, is a purposeful violent conflict meant to establish dominance over the opposition, or to terminate the opposition forever, or drive the opposition away from a location where it is not wanted or needed....
.
Arhat Boxing or Luohan Quan has in total 108 different movements; from six different forms of fist movements, two forms of palm movements, four forms of locking and grappling. Each movement in the art of Arhat Boxing are simple and straight. Each movement represents the simplicity and beauty of the expressions of the Arhat Statues. Each powerful attack is hidden through the movements of Arhat forms.
Happy, Angry Luohan Quan
In today's usage, Luohan Quan has expanded into many various forms. One of those forms is called Xi Nu Luohan Quan which literally means Angry Happy Luohan Quan.Here's a quote from Xi Nu Luohan Quan
Shi De Qian from Henan Shaolin Temple in China, wrote the history of Shaolin and included Xi Nu Luohan Quan; Angry Happy Luohan Boxing, in the (Shaolinsi wushu baike quanshu) Complete Encyclopedia of Shaolin Temple Martial Arts, volume I & II. Only 18 of the 108 postures were documented in the book.
Scattered around this page and the other pages of this are many pictures in, for some people, unusual and strange postures. This is Xi Nu Luohan Quan; Angry Happy Luohan Boxing. I was told that Sek Koh Sum knew he was passing and arrange for a photographer to shoot the full 108 postures of his beloved Luohan Quan for future Shaolin disciples.
It is one of the highest levels of art and includes attributes of emotions and sounds (thus the facial expressions).
This art was said to have been practiced by only 4 of the original 18 disciples (of the Shuanglin Temple Singapore); it is said that common students such as those in Indonesia or Malaysia did not learn it. At the moment only 1 person knows it as the rest already have sadly passed on.
In fact most students/disciples did not learn the entire Luohan tradition because Sek Koh Sum taught different skills to different students. That is why over 30 schools of the Shi Gao Can tradition appeared in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia over the years.
Today's usage
- "Shaolinquan" uses Luohanquan as part of their training.
- "Jingangbashi" is a new form that was created by combining Luohanquan and BajiquanBajíquánBājíquán is a Chinese martial art that features explosive, short-range power and is famous for its elbow strikes. It originated in Hebei Province in Northern China, but is also well-known in other places today, especially Taiwan...
. - "XingyiquanXingyiquanXingyiquan is one of the major "internal" or Wudang styles of Chinese martial arts. The word translates approximately to "Form/Intention Boxing", or "Shape/Will Boxing", and is characterized by aggressive, seemingly linear movements and explosive power...
" uses similar forms that are from Luohanquan. - Honan Bei Shaolin Mei Hua Chuan is a style with a strong Luohanquan curriculum