Sao Lim is a combat art from southern China, imbued with Buddhism. It is a method designed to reform the body (strength, flexibility, balance, coordination, etc.) and the mind (calm, lucidity, attention, reactivity, etc.) in order to make them more capable of combat, then of spiritual accomplishment.
The Chan dimension of Sao Lim lies in the quality and intensity sought during practice. Training is approached as a fight in itself, in which each gesture is accomplished with total physical and mental investment. This search for perfection, common to most artistic or spiritual paths, leads the practitioner to this stage of accomplishment that the Chinese call “Kung Fu”, where the ego fades away to allow the forces of nature to freely express themselves.
SaoLim, like all martial arts, can only be practiced by those who have the unwavering will to move forward, by themselves, despite physical and mental suffering.
An interesting delineation of Sek Koh Sam’s Shaolin is the following: ‘Lohan body & Monkey fist’. 羅漢體猴拳 Lohan Tee Kao Kun. The meaning of this is hard to explain, especially the ‘Lohan body’ section. Essentially it means a form of Kung Fu with a body which radiates a certain kind of power, self-confidence and empyrean. It symbolizes the iron skills such as iron body and a powerful and strong body. Monkey style is associated with agility, nimbleness, rolling & sweeping and crouching. These are the characteristics of Sek Koh Sam’s Shaolin.
I think we can summarize and identify the style as following:
南少林 佛家派 高參門
羅漢體猴拳
Or just “ Sao Lim” 😊
What it basically comes down to with training is:
1. Practicing the iron skills
2. Rehearsing the taolu or chapters/forms. Taolu is an individual style exercise with a series of fixed movements.
Basic taolu
- Er Zhi Mei 二枝梅
- Liu Yue Xia Ji 柳悦下集
- Qi Zhen 祈振
- Cha Liu Fan Shen 插柳翻身
- Qi Mei Staff 齐眉棍
- Wu Liu Sabre 五柳单刀
- Suo Hou Spear 锁喉枪
- Damo Sword 达摩剑 (an addition by Master P’ng Chye Khim)
Examples of optional bare-handed solo forms to be taught after the basic forms:
- Luo Han Quan 伏虎 罗汉拳
- Guan Yin De Sheng 观音德圣拳
- Guan Yin Diao Du 观音调度拳
- Liu Yue Shang Ji 柳悦上集
- White Crane 白鹤拳
- Monkey Fist 猴拳
- Snake 蛇拳
- Tiger 虎拳
- Flying Dragon 飞龙拳
- Swallow Claw 燕爪翻身拳
- Tun Guang Buddha Fist 吞光佛志拳
- Yun Gong Fist 运功拳
- Eighteen Bronze Men Fist 十八铜人拳
- Xun Feng 巡风拳
- Six Harmonies 六合拳
- Rapid Hands 快手连环拳
- Eighteen Continuous Legs 十八连环腿
- Soft Fist 柔拳
- Jin Gang Fist 金刚拳
- Willow Leaf Palm 柳叶掌
- Long Fist 长拳
- Five elements Continuous Palms 五形连环掌
- Lohan 24 style 羅漢拳二十四式
- Lohan 18 Palms 羅漢十八掌
- Vibrating Body 羅漢震身掌
- Some weapon forms:
- Shaolin ‘Big Sabre’ 少林大刀
- Shaolin ‘Sabre’ 少林刀
- Liányì stick 蓮意杖
- Double sword 双剑
- Shaolin ‘Long Staff’ 少林长棍
- Double mace 双鐗
- Shield and sabre 腾牌刀
- Shaolin Pudao 少林撲刀
- Hoe 锄头
Numerous forms with partners are taught as optional forms also.