Opening Exercises for Pangai-Noon Classes Junbi Undu (Stretching)
Pangai-Noon Origin & History Our Roots in China: Pangai-Noon is a martial art system that has evolved over many hundreds of years and represents a mingling of the Chu Gar (official martial art of the Ming Dynasty), Southern Shaolin Temple Boxing (Five fists of Fukien), Southern Mantis (Chow Gar), Okinawan Naha-Te and Shorin-Ryu (Shaolin way). The Shaolin Temple The Shaolin order dates to about 540 AD, when Boddhidarma (in Chinese - Tamo), an Indian Buddhist priest, traveled to China to see the Emperor. At that time, local Buddhist monks were translating Buddhist texts from Sanskrit to Chinese, by order of the Emperor, with the intent to allow the general populace the ability to practice this religion. Tamo traveled to the nearby Buddhist temple to meet with the monks who were translating these Buddhist texts. The temple, constructed years before in the remains of a forest that had been either cleared or burned down, was named "young forest" (in Mandarin, Shaolin - in Cantonese, Sil Lum), since at the time of temple construction, the emperor's gardeners had also planted new trees. Upon his arrival, Tamo was refused admittance to the temple, perhaps being thought an intrusive foreigner by Fang Chang, the head abbot. After being rejected by the monks, he went to a nearby cave and meditated until the monks recognized his religious prowess and admitted him. Legend has it that Tamo bored a hole through one side of the cave with his constant gaze; however, the actual accomplishment that earned his recognition may very well be lost to history.
[Show full text]