What is ninjutsu ?

Ninjutsu is a martial art which originates from Japan (although, many of its roots rest in China but this is true for all traditional Japanese martial arts, with the exception of sumo).  Ninjutsu is a very difficult word to translate into English.  The first kanji nin (also pronounced shinobi) is composed of the ideograms for "heart" and "blade" and best translates as "perseverance", "invisibility", "stealth", "concealment" or "silence".  Thus ninjutsu could translate as "the silent art", or "the art of invisibility" or "the art of perseverence" depending on your viewpoint. The main basis of this martial art is the classic military treatise "The Art of War" by Sun-Tzu.

Ninjutsu as an art of its own is believed to have its roots in the Japanese provinces of Iga and Koga (now called Shiga prefecture and Mie prefecture respectively) during the 11th century.  Ninja specialised from an early age in several areas of expertise, both mental and physical, as well as training with a number of weapons.  Between 1192 and 1333 (The Kurakawa era) there are believed to have been 25 ninjutsu dojo, each with its own special and distinctive techniques.  The Iga schools were dominated by three families; Hattori, Momochi, Fujibayashi, whilst the Koga schools had over 50 families.

Ninjutsu became fashionable again during the 1970s and 1980s when Hollywood produced hundreds of cheesy films about killers in black, able to vanish into thin air, kill people with a single thrown shuriken from hundreds of yards away, and dodge bullets with adept ease.  About this time, people surfaced in the UK claiming to be ninja masters, usually taught by some fabulous (and unknown) Japanese Sensei, but most of these were simply frauds. Luckily, most of these charlatans disappeared in due course, probably to teach Hit man or Bodyguard schools :-)

This is the sum of the research I have done into this ancient art. I am trying to give an impartial insight into the lore of the Ninja, without getting bogged down in those petty "Ashida Kim is a fraud" or "Stephen Hayes is a con artist" or "Hatsumi is God" disputes.  For that rubbish go to yahoo and search for Ashida Kim. You'll find plenty of websites filled with childish arguments concerning this man.

Ninja history

Ninjutsu is usually translated as the "art of stealth." The Japanese character, "nin" (also translated as "shinobi") has many meanings, such as perseverance, endurance, and sufferance. The term Ninjutsu is most commonly used to refer to the specific methods and techniques used by the Ninja. Ninjutsu as a way of life didn't happen overnight. It developed over the course of many years. The name Ninjutsu itself didn't come about until several generations after the Ninja lifestyle began.

Ninjutsu was created in central Honshu (the largest of the Japanese islands) about eleven hundred years ago. It was developed by mountain-dwelling families where the terrain is rugged and remote. Ninja families were great observers of nature. They felt a close connection to the Earth, and their lifestyle was one that lived according to the laws of Nature, not against it. Ninja were also very spiritual people, and their beliefs became an integral part of Ninjutsu.

One of the spiritual influences was Shinto, "the way of the kami." Kami is the Japanese word for "god" or "deity." It implies, however, a feeling for a sacred or charismatic force, rather than a being. The early Japanese regarded their whole world: the rivers, mountains, lakes, and trees, to have their own energy and spirit.

Another spiritual influence on the Ninja was Mikkyo. Mikkyo, for the Ninja, was not a religion as much as it was a method for enhancing personal power. These methods included the use of secret words and symbols to focus their energy and intentions toward specific goals.

It is generally accepted that the methods found in Ninjutsu originated outside of Japan. After the fall of the T'ang dynasty in China, many outcast warriors, philosophers, and military strategists escaped to Japan to avoid punishment by the new Chinese rulers. It is believed that Ninja families were exposed to many of these exiled people's sophisticated warrior strategies and philosophies over the centuries, helping to influence and shape what became Ninjutsu.

The Ninja were also very much influenced by a group of people called Shugenja, who roamed the same mountainous sections as the Ninja. The Shugendo method of spiritual self-discovery consisted of subjecting oneself to the harsh weather and terrain of the area in order to draw strength from the earth itself. They would walk through fire, stand beneath freezing waterfalls, and hang over the edges of cliffs in an effort to overcome fear and assume the powers of nature.

It would be incorrect to say that these three spiritual methods were the actual roots of Ninjutsu, but there is little doubt that they were a large influence. Ninjutsu was and is a separate philosophy.

The Ninja were not particularly warlike, yet they were constantly harassed by the ruling society of Japan. They were routinely subjected to unfair taxation and religious persecution. The Ninja eventually learned to act more and more efficiently in their own self-defense. They used their superior knowledge of the workings of nature, as well as specific military techniques passed down through the years, as weapons against the numerically superior government armies. They used any ruse, harbored any superstition, and employed any strategy to protect themselves. If necessary, they would use devious political manipulations to ensure peace.

There were as many as seventy or eighty Ninja clans operating in the Koga and Iga regions of Japan during the height of Ninja activity. Most of these Ninja were descendants of, or were themselves, displaced samurai. Therefore, they operated on the sidelines of the political schemes of the government. Sometimes a Ninja family would use its military or information-gathering resources to protect its members from becoming victims in a power play between competing samurai clans. Occasionally, a Ninja family would support one faction over another, if they felt it to be to their advantage.

As with any society, there were renegades who misused the training they received. Occasionally, "Ninja" would rent themselves out for espionage or assassination work. Unfortunately these outcasts have become the stereotype of the "evil ninja" that we see today in the media. They were, however, a minority. The average Ninja worked very much in conjunction with his family and community goals.

Ninja were not always primarily soldiers. Of course, certain Ninja operatives, or genin, were trained from childhood as warriors. But this training was usually precautionary. Genin Ninja knew that they might be called to help protect the community at some future time, but, they often spent most of their lives as farmers or tradespeople. Ninja intelligence gatherers sent to live in the strongholds of potential enemies were rarely required to act openly.

If an operative was called to action it was as a result of a carefully plotted, and usually desperate, plan. The genin would be contacted and assigned a mission by his chunin superior. The chunin, or middle man, was a "middle-man" between the jonin family leader and the operative. Jonin made all philosophical and long-range strategic decisions for the clan. Often, the identity of the jonin was kept secret from chunin and genin, alike. Of course certain historical periods required more secret activity than others.

Eventually this activity virtually died out altogether but the legacies, in some cases, remained.

Ninjas formed in  this mountains of Koga & Iga

A History of Martial Arts

A common error in Western thinking is that martial arts were developed as a means of destroying one's enemies or attackers, or at best, it was created as the ultimate form of self-defense. While martial arts disciplines do indeed contain formidable self-defense tactics as part of their teachings, violence is not the ultimate goal. Instead, martial arts are deeply rooted in Oriental mores and religion. As I reiterate throughout this book, they are a way of life, not a means to deal out death and destruction to your fellow man.

Though we can't be sure, martial arts' roots seem to be in China. Apparently, they can be traced back to the early beginnings of Oriental man. Elements of the Chinese martial arts, now known as Kung Fu, go back to the Neolithic Age, approximately four thousand years ago. The earliest form of martial arts appears in the story in which the legendary Yellow Emperor, Huang Ti, fought and defeated his enemy, Chi Yuo, by using classical Chinese wrestling methods. Even though this incident occurred in the first half of the third millennium B.C., many Chinese historians confess a distinct lack of documented evidence that proves definitively that Kung-Fu evolved from those ancient days of the Yellow Emperor.

Nonetheless, during the Shang dynasty (1523-1027 B.C.), there is more evidence that wrestling existed. Certain fighting movements were developed into a type of folk dance performed by people wearing animal horns on their heads and butting into each other, followed by grabbing and throwing each other to the ground. In this, the Bronze Age, archaeological finds prove that war chariots with horses in harnesses were common. Spears, arrows, knives and needles were made from bronze, which indicated the advancement of fighting and hunting tactics.

Historical records are much clearer for the Chou Dynasty period (1027-256 B.C.), the beginning of the Iron Age. As schools of philosophy began to appear, archery and horsemanship were considered accomplishments that all gentlemen and scholars were supposed to possess in their efforts to become "Scholarly Warriors" or morally and physically superior men. These skills were considered integral parts of "li.". Li consisted of cultural rituals by which men in society live together in harmony.

In the classic Book of Odes, a compilation of some three hundred poems from about 700 B.C., Chinese ceremony is celebrated. Fighting with the fists, Ch'uan fa, is mentioned in at least one line, "Without the fist, there is no bravery." Therefore, it can be concluded that Ch'uan fa, the way of the fist, was being practiced by at least some of the people of Chou.

In the second half of the Chou Dynasty (770-221 B.C.) in response to an increasing need for fighting men to defend the declining empire, there emerged in China a fighting class known throughout the empire. Many poverty-stricken peasants, unemployed artisans and merchants, along with many former warriors, became professional fighters. They roamed from state to state offering their services to beleaguered lords. Most of the fighters were skilled in military arts, especially swordsmanship.

The fighters, however, must not be thought of as merely mercenaries; they had their own respected chivalric codes. They served not only royalty, but also ordinary citizens in distress. Literature of the day claims that a knight (shih) dies for one who appreciates him. They would offer their swords in defense of those wronged while risking death for others without a thought for their own safety. They always meant what they said, always accomplished their intended mission, and always honored their promises. It's difficult, of course, to separate the fact from convoluted legend.

Another legend tells how the Chinese Ninja connection known as Lin Kuei may have evolved in the third millennium B.C. A migrating farmer lost his young son to a wild animal. He was so grieved he went into a trance and emerged vowing to remain in the forest for the rest of his life. In order to survive, he and his family watched how the animals took advantage of nature, and worked in harmony with nature in order to survive and flourish. The farmer and his family learned the ways of nature; they had become part of the forest. For hunting and combat, the farmer and his followers would imitate the ways of the animals, learning the correct skills for the task at hand.

But then all societies have histories of violent cultures based in war and warriors that supposedly had their codes of bravery and honor. What separates martial arts from other forms of battle arts are its religious and philosophical roots in searching for enlightenment.

Finally, around 500 B.C., Sun Tzu, a contemporary of Confucius, wrote The Art of War. It has been an authoritative text on war and its strategies ever since, addressing such subjects as philosophy, strategy, politics, economics, and diplomacy. Just as the individual may approach combat with an enlightened mind as well as excellent physical skills, so the enlightened nation must approach the strategy of war with wisdom and diplomacy, as well as modern weapons. Sun Tzu was the first strategist to write about deterrence. General Tao Hanzhang says in his commentary about the Art of War: [who is this general?)

Sun Tzu attached great importance to employing politics, diplomacy, and strategic considerations for the purpose of subduing the enemy... rather than by means of war. In today's language this is called 'a policy backed up by strength.' Sun Tzu was the first person in world history to have put forth this doctrine.

The strategies of war, like the martial arts, are deeply embedded in religious, cultural, and philosophical roots. Neither in martial arts practiced by the individual, nor in the strategies of war practiced by a nation, should either body enter combat blindly, without wisdom, and expend needless energy.

History of Other Forms of Martial Arts

Like any other art or religion, martial arts has branched into myriad disciplines. Like Ninjutsu, some have
become quite popular. In this section we look briefly at the history of some of the better known forms. As we begin, keep in mind that almost every martial art form can be traced back to their Chinese and Indian beginnings in Shaolin Kung Fu.

T'ai Chi Chuan
Of the three recognized 'internal' martial arts of China---T'ai Chi Chuan, Hsing-i and Pakua---T'ai Chi Chuan is by far the most popular.

T'ai chi chuan means "supreme ultimate fist." However, most people know regard it as a form of gentle exercise. Its origins are obscure, but it is believed to have been practiced for at least 5,000 years. Old Chinese drawings show Taoist monks performing similar movements, which was part of the study of their philosophy. Legends of the feats of T'ai Chi Chuan masters abound. But it is mainly thought of in connection with the calmness of mind and the restfulness that it brings to its followers.

Hsing-i Chuan
A Chinese general, Yu Fei, is credited with founding the martial art known as Hsing-i or "body-mind boxing." During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) a book said to have been written by Yu Fei (who lived several hundred years earlier) was discovered and given to a famous warrior, Chi Lung Feng, who is thought to have perfected the discipline.

Modern Hsing-i technique includes 12 animal forms or types of movement. However, the five basic actions are drilling, pounding, splitting, crossing and crushing. Combined with specific foot positions, they are ways of using the hands to manipulate and to strike an opponent. A student learns these movements alone before moving on to practice with a partner.

Pakua
The origins of Pakua are not known. It is first recorded in 1796, when a Kung Fu teacher turned up in Shantung province and gave some lessons to a student called Feng Ke-shan, from whom a line is traceable to the present day. As in several other Kung Fu styles, the traditional story is that Pakua was founded by a Taoist monk.



Indian Martial Arts
Indian self-defense tactics go back to ancient times. While there is little documentation, some Indian literature suggests some rudimentary forms of martial arts as early as well before Biblical times. Remember that Bodhidharma, an Indian priest, is considered the father of Kung Fu. And Kung Fu is the well from which all other martial arts forms sprung. While martial arts per se originated in China, they are deeply rooted in the ways of Indian self-defense.

Taekwon-Do
Tae means to kick or strike with the foot. Kwon means to punch or strike with the fist. Do means "art." Taekwon-do has two major features that distinguish it from other forms of martial arts: the wide range of kicking methods and the emphasis on breaking techniques. A Korean martial arts form, Taekwon-do is part of the training for the Korean military.

Kendo
Kendo is a type of Japanese fencing. It uses classic techniques of swordplay, and others peculiar to its sporting aspect. The participants wear light armor and the swords are made of strips of bamboo held together with cord and soft leather.

Aikido
Aikido is a throwing art. There is a prescribed way of moving into an opponent's attack, to be followed by a flowing, circular deftness leading into a throw or lock.

Adapted from Jujitsu, Aikido is simultaneously a sport, an art, a moral discipline and a philosophy. Its founder, Morihei Ueshiba, was a deeply religious man and a follower of Shinto, the national religion of Japan. While he studied many styles of Jujitsu, he found his inspiration in the 700-year-old Daito-ryu style. From about 1917 to the late 1930s, he developed a system he called Aikijutsu, which emphasized combat. Later, when the emphasis changed, he altered the name to Aiki-do. Of the 2,664 techniques of Aikijutsu, comparatively few are used in modern Aiki-do training.


Uyeshiba's pupils said he possessed supernatural powers. Some accounts claim an ability to read the minds of his pupils, to sense their actions before they moved. It was even said that he had the capacity to move instantly and invisibly, from one point to another, a feat that he declared was hazardous; it shortened his life. Uyeshiba was truly a very unusual person. None of his pupils mastered all of his skills. However, they developed the art in their own individual ways.

One student, Koichi Tohei, for example, adhered to the more spiritual aspects of Aikido, which investigates "ki," or universal energy. The goal is to harmonize one's ki with that of the opponent, rather than opposing it, thus leading him or her into a throw. Several other Uyeshiba followers developed their own variations as well.

Karate
Karate was introduced to Japan by a teacher, Gichin Funakoshi, from Okinawa. He was invited to give a demonstration in Tokyo in 1922. Within two years Karate was part of the university curriculum. Since then, Karate has changed dramatically. In its early days it was neither a sport nor competitive. Students trained in prearranged sequences of movement or kata, besides techniques. Training also concentrated on stamina and strength. Some of Funakoshi's pupils started their own discipline, modified some of the techniques, and developed their own styles.

Karate became immensely popular in the West in the '70s, due primarily to the Kung Fu star Bruce Lee. Karate schools were set up all over the world, offering several dozen styles of Karate. But basically it is still an empty-hand art using kicks, blocks and punches. In fact, karate means "empty hand." Although there are some throwing techniques, principally a leg sweep is used in sport karate to bring an opponent to the floor or to knock him off balance. On the whole it remains an art of striking, not grappling.


Unlike some other martial arts, originally Karate was designed to kill one's enemy with a single blow; hence, the emphasis on maximum power, perfect technique and focus of blow. Today, most of the training halls or dojos in the West are following a Japanese style or ryu, although Okinawan forms are still well-known and respected.

Modern karate is divided into three basic categories: traditional karate, sport karate and full contact karate. Sport karate emerged over the last 25 years; the more advanced students needed something to strive for other than technical excellence and understanding. It is somewhat unfortunate that enlightenment is sometimes not enough.

Judo
Today, Judo is essentially a competitive sport, which its founder, Dr. Jigoro Kano (1860-1938), wished to avoid. Nowadays, it concentrates on crowd participation and commercialization, and a win-at-all-costs attitude. Kano, like several other famous martial arts masters, was a teacher. He saw in Judo a way of imbuing moral principles and physical well-being into the Japanese nation and (later) the world at large. He founded his judo center in Tokyo in 1882, calling it the Kodokan. From there Judo spread around the world. As new students became more adept, the discipline took on foreign attitudes and new approaches.

The new approaches were good and bad. Among the bad was the growing imperative to win. Originally, Judo was a form of studying through training---a means of unifying mind and body. Today it differs little in intent from Western prize fighting.

Jujitsu (or Jujutsu)
Unlike Judo, Aikido and Karate, which all claim a modern 'father' or figurehead, Jujitsu has none. As martial arts became increasingly popular in the West, Jujitsu teachers of varying experience and ability, who had studied the art in Japan, opened up training halls all over the world. Training in Jujitsu in Japan takes a long time. Few Western teachers were able to stay long enough in Japan to obtain a teaching qualification from a particular school. Instead, they learned a variety of Jujitsu techniques from different schools, often mixing them with Aikido, Judo and Karate techniques, producing what is now a recognized form of modern, contemporary Jujitsu.

Chinese Kung Fu
The Chinese regard Kung Fu as an integral part of their lives. It is simultaneously legend, history, medicine, combat, dance theater and physical culture. Many Kung Fu styles mimic animals, such as monkeys, white cranes, praying mantises and several others.
 

The Japanese Legacy

History of Ninjutsu

Though traceable to its Chinese roots, Ninjutsu is
predominately a Japanese martial arts form. There
are many theories about the beginnings of Ninjutsu. Each Japanese historian has his or her own beliefs, based on what each swears are facts. It's difficult to point to a specific place, person, time, or set of circumstances that would be acceptable to all as the birth of the art. Actually, Ninjutsu did not begin as a well-defined art. It took many centuries to establish itself as an independent system of knowledge.

Furthermore, the people that we today call Ninjutsu did not call themselves such. Instead, they considered themselves practitioners of political, religious, and military strategies, sometimes culturally opposite of the more conventional outlooks of the times. Ninjutsu developed as an illegal counterculture to the ruling Samurai elite---reason enough for its origins to be shrouded in mystery and concealment.

Some accounts say Chinese ex-patriots who fled their native land to seek sanctuary in the islands of Japan were the first Ninjas. It's true that Chinese warriors, scholars, and monks alike all made the journey to find new lives in the wilderness of Ise and Kii, south of the capitals in Nara and what was then Kyoto province. They brought with them the Taoist beliefs and knowledge that had accumulated over the centuries in their native land,---such as military strategies, religious philosophies, folklore, cultural concepts, medical practices, and a wide scope of perspective that blended the wisdom of China with that of India, Tibet, Eastern Europe, and Southeast Asia.

The Chinese immigrants settled in an area far away from the Japanese Samurai elite, where they developed a separate culture. As time passed, the Ninja and their ways, known as Ninjutsu, were always present behind the scenes working, subtly manipulating the events of all the eras to ensure the survival and independence of their families and lands. In the regions of Iga and Koga, Ninjutsu became a special skill, refined and perfected by over seventy families, each with their own unique methods and ideals. The rest of the history is shrouded in ancient superstition, much of which is difficult for today's Japanese to comprehend, let alone Westerners.

Even the words, Ninja and Ninjutsu cannot be translated to English easily. Nin requires extensive English words to be explained. At the simplest level, it can mean endurance, perseverance, and forbearance in both the physical and mental senses. Nin also has connotations of stealth, secretness, or concealment. The Japanese and Chinese symbol for Nin is composed of two lesser symbols that stand for "blade" and "heart." The character implies that the heart, or will, behaves in a manner giving it the effectiveness of the blade. In a broader sense, nin really means to be in control of one's body, mind, and the perception of right and wrong. As with so much of Oriental language, think of nin as a core word with scintillating connotations, or perhaps as the ripples circling out from a pebble that has disturbed the surface of calm waters.

The Togakure ryu, a Ninjutsu order established approximately eight hundred years ago, is now in its thirty-fourth generation. The ryu (style) exists today as an organization dedicated to teaching effective methods of self-protection and promoting the self-development and awareness of its members. Due to the stabilized nature of contemporary Japanese government and judicial systems, the Togakure Ninja ryu no longer involves itself directly in combat or espionage work.

During the Feudal period in Japan, the Ninja clans lived in close knit communities. Secrecy was paramount in their lifestyle and operation. The techniques and disciplines were passed from father to son. The scrolls outlining these codes of practice and techniques were family treasures, but in modern times they have become collector's items.

The creator of modern Ninjutsu is Dr. Masaaki Hatsumi. There is some controversy regarding his Ninja lineage. But he shrugs it off. As far as the martial arts world is concerned, he is the grandfather of Ninjutsu. Many people from all over the world have made the pilgrimage to his Dojo in Japan. He owns a Ninja museum with many items from the Ninja past on display.

Dr. Hatsumi's martial arts career began in a very dramatic way. His father was an alcoholic who, often in drunken stupors, brandished a knife at home. As a young boy, Hatsumi had to hide from his drunken father. By listening to the rhythm of his father's footsteps, the boy recognized the drunkenness before his father entered the house. As Hatsumi got older, he learned Ninjutsu and other martial arts to control his father before putting him to bed.

Dr. Hatsumi's Ninjutsu teacher was Toshitsugu Takamatsu, a fearsome person who had spent many years in China learning martial arts. His sheer prowess earned him the name Mongolian Tiger. He learned his skills from Chinese boxers and other martial artists. Takamatsu lived to be an old man. He attributed his longevity to transforming himself from a Mongolian tiger to a house cat.

The following story demonstrates the wisdom and ruthlessness of Hatsumi's master: Once, Takamatsu drew his sword, instructing Hatsumi to grab the blade. At first Hatsumi thought his master was joking. After realizing his master's seriousness, without further hesitation, Hatsumi grabbed the blade. Remarkably, he was not cut. The master also tested him in other ways, such as stealthing quietly behind him and delivering a swift blow with his sword. Sensing danger, to avoid the cut, Hatsumi flattened himself on the floor. These tests are written in the Ninjutsu syllabus for granting high levels of training. To pass them without death or injury, one must have total confidence in himself and his teacher.

Modern Ninjutsu is known for its humanitarian commitment toward community values. Students are encouraged to use their training and knowledge to be better citizens and students. Ninjutsu students of the 2Oth century are known to each other and have no desire to form a secret Ninja society.

In Search of Harmony

Buddhism and Martial Arts

If you're old enough, you surely remember the early 1970's television series "Kung Fu." It depicted a Buddhist monk, Kwai Chang Caine (or "Grasshopper," as his teacher called him), well-versed in the art of Chinese self-defense roaming the early American West in search of a new start. Kwai Chang Caine was a Shaolin priest, a pacifist; he believed in Eastern concepts of live and let live, achieving harmony with one's self, nature and the universe. In this regard, the television series was accurate.

Today's historians mostly agree that Chinese martial arts, especially unarmed defense practices, were advanced through Ch'an Buddhist religious practices during the Sixth Century. Ch'an was a reformist movement within Buddhism. The priest considered by most sources to be the father of martial arts is Bodhidharma, an Indian priest who became the 28th patriarch exalted by Ch'an tradition. As legend has it, he left his monastery in Southern India to teach the Ch'an Buddhist faith in China.

Bodhidharma roamed the regions of China teaching his religion. Ancient legend contends that he crossed the Yangtze River "Riding on the blade of a reed" (a leaf-shaped ferryboat) to Loyang, the capital of Honan Province, where he came across the Shaolin Su (Young Forest Temple). The temple, built on the northern side of Shao-Shih mountain, was known as the Shaolin Monastery, a Buddhist temple. Among other monumental tasks, it is noted for translating the immense works of Buddhist scripture (about 600 books) to Chinese.

What has this got to do with martial arts? Well, the legend (which is mostly supported by historical writings) goes like this:

When Bodhidharma arrived at the temple, the Fang Chang (head monk) feared the reformist Ch'anism. The Fang Chang, concerned that Bodhidharma's presence might corrupt the monastery's more traditional forms of Buddhism, directed him to remain outside the temple. Bodhidharma was not to be thwarted. He found refuge in a nearby cave, remaining there for nine years, in total silence, meditating and staring at the side of a mountain (hence, the Buddhist tradition of "wall gazing"). Some accounts would have us believe that he meditated relentlessly, staring at the rocks nonstop for the entire nine years. Obviously, we know that's not true.

Bodhidharma was finally let into the temple. What he saw inside dismayed him. A staunch disciplinarian, he was repulsed by the monks constant drowsiness and slumbering during meditation. He realized that their weak, flaccid bodies were not up to the tasks of mental discipline. While Buddhism is designed for salvation of the soul, he explained to the monks, the body and soul are inseparable. Hence, physical fitness became a vital part of Shaolin teachings. Exercise and Indian self-defense movements were further perfected and developed, marking the beginning of Shaolin Temple boxing, known as Kung Fu.

Essentially, temple boxing was a form of exercise and self-defense designed to rejuvenate the body after long periods of meditation. It eventually evolved into what we know today as Kung Fu. Other forms of martial arts--Judo, Jujitsu, Ninjutsu, Karate, and so on--are offshoots, or further adaptations.

The early beginnings of martial arts sought to enhance meditation and spiritual development, not to destroy or exact retribution on one's enemies.

As you can see, martial arts did not begin as a means to destroy one's enemy. It has much more benevolent roots.

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