Asian martial arts are often coated in a thick layer of of legend. Many fighting styles have elaborate origin stories and mystical founding fathers. These stories often help enhance the prestige of a particular school and inspire new students. However, the “histories” of many of these martial arts disciplines are completely made up. The granddaddy of all of these martial arts myths is the tale of the Zen mystic, Bodhidharma, teaching the monks of the Shaolin Temple Kung Fu. Is any of it true? Tune in and find out how Buddhist philosophy, eyelid tea, and the “Crown Prince of Death” all play a role in the story.

Works Cited

Black Belt Magazine. “Dim Mak: Martial Arts Touch of Death.” Black Belt Magazine, Black Belt Magazine, 25 Aug. 2020, blackbeltmag.com/dim-mak-martial-arts-touch-of-death.

Black Belt Magazine. “Hwa Rang Do Founder Joo Bang Lee on the History of Korean Martial Arts.” Black Belt Magazine, Black Belt Magazine, 25 Aug. 2020, blackbeltmag.com/hwa-rang-do-founder-joo-bang-lee-on-the-history-of-korean-martial-arts.

Ferguson, Andy. Tracking Bodhidharma: a Journey to the Heart of Chinese Culture. Perseus Books, 2013.

Kelly, Dan. “The Life and Death of the Deadliest Man Alive.” Chicago Reader, Chicago Reader, 10 Jan. 2021, www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/the-life-and-death-of-the-deadliest-man-alive/Content?oid=922605.

Nusbaum, Eric. “Count Dante: The World’s Deadliest Myth.” Sports Stories, Sports Stories, 23 Apr. 2020, sportsstories.substack.com/p/count-dante-the-worlds-deadliest.

Russo, Charles, and Shannon Lee. Striking Distance: Bruce Lee & the Dawn of Martial Arts in America. University of Nebraska Press, 2019.

Shahar, Meir. The Shaolin Monastery: History, Religion, and the Chinese Martial Arts. University of Hawai’i Press, 2011.