Dr. Edvard Šefer (Doctorate at Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts) , founder of Monk Art, Martial art school of self-defense based on Kata forms.

Background

San Chin Kata is like all other Kata self-defense training form. At this point we have to be aware that W. Cynarski and J. Skowron1 wrote: Self-defense are technical and tactical skills to avoid or fend off an attack and neutralize the attacker. Author will reveal based on 20 years of research his findings about San Chin Kata and its secrets. Common spread believe is that
author of
San Chin Kata is Buddhist monk Bodhidharma who lived somewhere between AD420 and AD634.

By the legend he visited Shaolin monastery (founded AD477) where he taught monks martial art of self-defense later named Tang shou where Tang means the Tang dynasty (618-907AD) and shou means hand. From the Tang show in the 20th century, a martial art sport called Kara Te emerged. The common belief immediately struck with historical facts. Holcomb2 expressed the doubts on his existence and his merit for martial arts.

According to Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism3 the earliest accounts of a person known as Bodhidharma appear in the Luoyang qielan ji (The monasteries of Luoyang) written by Yang Xuanzi in mid sixth century and Xu Gaosheng Zhuan write about him mid seventh century. Shahar4 writes that he is considered by most historians as a legend that arose out of Chan

Buddhist school need to have direct connection with Buda. In addition San Chin Kata contain circular hand move named Sun and the Moon that is part of White Crane style that was by legend invented in 16th century.

Because there are no physical or original written documents and because only legends were preserved to us we will most probably never know what is truth and what is legend and who and when created San Chin Kata.

 

Complete article is available here as PDF document (989 Kb).