Were there really Shaolin fighting monks?
“Considering the vast sweep of Chinese history, most Hong Kong martial arts movies are set in a relatively narrow period, located between the rise of the Ching [aka Qing] dynasty and the start of the Chinese republic. Many are set between 1723 and 1911, often focusing on the development and eventual destruction of the famed Shaolin temple in Hunan province and the subsequent dissemination of kung fu throughout southern China…this stronghold of Chinese martial arts sowed the seeds of its’ own destruction when 128 warrior monks came to the aid of Emperor Kang Xi…the Shaolin priests came under suspicion from a later Emperor, Yong Zheng. In 1736, the emperor sent 3,000 soldiers to Shaolin, salying the monks and razing the building to the ground. Various versions of these events have survived in historical records and each has been the subject of cinematic interpretation…” “…the temple was a martial arts academy with thrity-five chambers that prospective disciples worked their way t
