Shaolin Animals

The Dragon of the East In the West, Dragons have long been depicted as evil creatures that raid villages, hoard treasure and commonly end up being killed by valorous knights. Despite the use of the same name, Chinese Dragons could not be more contrastive. They differ substantially in appearance but more to the point they…

The Shaolin Leopard Of the five Shaolin Animals, the Leopard is the only one crafted solely for martial purposes. That is to say, the other four Shaolin Animals had significant places in Chinese culture and mythology long before they were called on to be ‘martial’ animals. The Leopard, by contrast, has no cultural or mythological…

The Tiger in Chinese Culture For millennia the Tiger has been a powerful symbol in China, Buddhism, and in Shaolin specifically. Tiger statues have been unearthed that date to more than 7000 years ago, showing just how long the Tiger has been of interest. So ingrained is the Tiger in Chinese culture that the character…

Origin The exact origins of the Crane as an animal of interest are lost in legend but most legends agree that it all started in Tibet. Thousands of years ago Taoism traveled to China through the Kunlun Mountains of Northern Tibet. With it came a reverence for the Crane as a symbol of Longevity, Centeredness,…

The Chinese Snake Throughout Chinese history we see stories of the Snake. If we look, we find the Snake revered from many quarters. Sun Tzu, in his work Art of War, used a Snake that could attack with both head and tail as a simile for a skilled general who could do the same. Even…