The Holy land of the Shaolin

Vital internal energy (chin.: qìgōng 气功) is a Chinese cultivation practice which, according to specific written documents, goes back at least 3000 years ago. During the legendary Chinese ruler’s Tang Yao (chin.: Táng yáo 唐堯 2353 - 2234 BC) monarchy; qigong art used as a form of dancing. The actual origins of Qi Gong, however, are lost in Chinese prehistory. Qi Gong was practiced during the earliest period in order to maintain good health.

In Master Lu’s Spring and Autumn (chin.: lǚshìchūnqiū 呂氏春秋) records which was completed in 239BC we read: In the beginning of the Tao Tang Tribes, the sun was often shut off by heavy clouds and it rained all the time; turbulent waters overflowed the rivers’ banks. People lived a gloomy and dull life and suffered from rigidity of their joints. As a remedy dancing was recommended. From the experience of their long-term struggle with nature, the ancients gradually realized that body movements, exclamations, and various ways of breathing could help readjust certain bodily functions. For example, imitating animal movements such as climbing, looking about, and leaping was found to promote a vital flow of Qi. Pronouncing “Hi” was found to either decrease or increase strength, “Ha” could disperse heat, and “Xu” could alleviate pain. In this way, Qigong was brought into being.

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Historically, Buddhism (chin.: Fojiao佛教) originates in the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama (chin.: qiaodamo 喬答摩). He is also commonly known as Shakyamuni “sage of the Shakya clan” (chin.: Shijiamouni 釋迦牟尼) and as the Tathagata “thus-come-one” (chin.: rulai 如來).

Around 500 B.C. he was born a Sakyan (chin.: sijia 釋迦) prince (Indo-Scythian) north of the holy city of Benares, on the banks of the river Ganges at Kapilavastu (chin.: fucheng 父城 or jiebiluofasudu 劫比羅伐窣堵). At the age of 29, deeply troubled by the suffering he saw around him, he renounced his privileged life, his wife and child, and went out among the Shramana (chin.: shamen 沙門) ascetics to seek understanding. After 6 years of struggle he finally understood the meaning of enlightenment under the legendary Bodhi tree (chin.: sama 舍摩).

After this he was recognized as a Buddha (meaning “The Awakened One”). He taught for some forty years then died at Kusinagara (chin.: jushinacheng 拘尸那城 - an ancient kingdom and city, near Kasiah, 180 miles north of Patna) in Oudh, India. According to the Mahayana (chin.: dacheng 大乘) tradition the Buddha did not actually die, because the Buddha is a spiritual entity called the Dharmakaya (chin.: ziranxuwushen 自然虛無身 - Buddha’s spiritual or absolute body). Only the corpse of Siddhartha Gautama remained behind where it was given the burial of a Cakravarti - Wheel King (chin.: shujieluo 庶迦羅).

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