The Holy land of the Shaolin

The Shaolin Tradition (chin.: Shàolín xiāngchuán 少林相传) claims that the 18 Hands of Luohans (chin.: Luóhàn Shíbā shou 羅漢十八手) is the first form (chin.: tào 套) of the Shaolin Martial arts (chin.: Shàolín wugōng 少林武功).

Venerable Bodhidharma (chin.: Pútídámó 菩提達摩) taught these techniques to Shaolin Monks (chin.: Shàolín Sēng 少林僧), for preserving good health (chin.: Jiànzài 健在). But in fact the Venerable master taught them the 18 Subduings; an ancient art a way to get Enlightnent.

The 18 Subduings (chin.: Shíbā kèfúzhe 十八克服着) were being taught as Nata (chin.: Nàtā 衲他) in India (chin.: Yìndù 印度). Nata was an ancient Buddhist term describing the earliest form of the art of ritual movement practiced for spiritual purposes, and used by Vajramutki (Thunderbolt Closed/Clasped Hands) practitioners in India. The ritual movements made up of Mudras (chin.: Yìn 印 a ritual gesture) or pose assumed by a part or all of the body. Nata essentially consist of 18 classical sets of Yins, combined with respiratory patterns, steps, muscle tension and relaxation, and specific meditation techniques. 

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