Kung Fu or Gong Fu means “hard work”. Sifu would bring this up when we were in the middle of a particularly brutal exercise. We’d be on our third set of push-ups and he would yell out, “What does Kung Fu mean?!” and we would answer “Hard work!”. And if we didn’t yell loud enough, he’d ask again and we’d yell louder and try harder.
Why would peaceful Shaolin monks (or Taoist Monks for that matter) spend so much time torturing themselves with physical exertion? It turns out that seated and standing meditation have an undeniable physical component. The Shaolin monks wanted to meditate for longer periods of time but they would get sore and consequently distracted so they started training their bodies to withstand the physical strain.
There are a lot of stories or legends about the beginnings of the Shaolin Five Animal Forms. One of those stories talks about the monks observing animals to emulate their natural prowess and uninhibited energy. Different groups would specialize in different animals until there was a bit of cross-pollination and the animal forms were grouped together in the legendary five animals of Shaolin: snake, dragon, tiger, leopard, and crane. Some parts of China would include the mantis or monkey but there were almost always five animals.
The snake, dragon, tiger, leopard, and crane develop different aspects:
Snake – Develops the chi.
In order for the snake to stay alive, it has to flow and bend. Jagged angles make for a dead snake. In order for chi to flow, the joints have to be free of tension. If you move like the snake, the chi will flow.
Dragon – Develops the shen
The Dragon is the only imaginary animal in the bunch. It swims through the air chasing thunder balls. This animal is said to help you develop your shen or your spirit.
Tiger – Develops the bones
If the Dragon represents the heavens then the Tiger certainly represents getting down to earth. This animal is massive and represents structure and perseverance.
Leopard – Develops the muscles
The Leopard is a smaller cat than the Tiger but pound for pound it is stronger. These stealthy hunters sneak up on their prey and drag them up into the trees.
Crane – Develops the tendons
The Crane focuses on elongation of the sinews or tendons. This is an animal that is not afraid to show off its full power.
I had the rare opportunity to study Tai Chi and Kung Fu at the same time. I observed that the best practitioners of these arts benefited the most from taking both. Tai Chi tends to be very Yin or yielding and can benefit from the strength of Kung Fu. Kung Fu tends to be very Yang or active and can benefit from the flexibility that Tai Chi provides.
If you combine your Kung Fu with the lessons of the five animals, you can become dynamic and vibrant as a martial artist. You can also develop skills that will help you balance different aspects of your life. Dedicating time to strengthen your chi, your shen, your bones, your muscles, and your sinews will help you rebuild yourself. You will learn to integrate Yin and Yang energies into your life. You will literally become smarter. And when you take all of this into your meditation, you may discover new aspects of yourself and start to embody your role in the cosmic blueprint. That being said, you may not need all this to get to a state of tranquil equilibrium. But for those of us that have struggled with the prospect of being alone with ourselves, the Shaolin Five Animals can be a welcome ladder to climb.