Secrets of Shaolin Temple Boxing

by Robert W. Smith

Learn the secrets of Shaolin Temple boxing also known as Shaolin Kung Fu with this illustrated matrtial arts guide.Shaolin Temple boxing is the father of all boxing forms in China and is a close ancestor of Japanese karate. Despite the widespread study of Shaolin kung fu, however, the true origins and history of this exciting martial art have been obscured by wildly fanciful myths and legends that have arisen over the centuries, leading martial-arts authority Robert W. Smith to remark, "There are no good books on Shaolin Temple boxing. There are only varying degrees of poor." In Taiwan, however, Smith had the good fortune to discover a short, anonymous work in Chinese that he believed revealed the essence of Shaolin.This kung fu book is the English version of that text. Abundantly and attractively illustrated, it is a fascinating account of the history of an ancient martial art, as well as a concise martial arts manual explaining the fundamental philosophy and techniques of Shaolin Temple boxing.

Genres: Martial Arts

72 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1964

About the author

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Reviews

[Jacob Lehman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun, quick read. The images aren't very well-synced to the text, but neither are they so disparate that you can't figure out which is supposed to correspond to which. The author disparages some of the "traditional" hard-style training (e.g., driving fingers into sand, etc.) as low-level/harmful to the body, though his own anecdotes and the emphasis on dynamic tension as the sole/primary method of exercise, enabling someone to lift 1000 lbs. also strain credulity.

[Faith Kilgore · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't have the exact read start and finish dates on many books I have read this year. The dates are approximated, as I have been in & out of the hospital, and on bed rest, and read 2-5 books a day depending on the book & length and my ability to focus. All dates are approximated, by month.