Wu Gulun, originally named Wu Gulu or Wu Gulu, was born in Dongguanmao Village, Yanshi, Luoyang, 35 li away from Shaolin Temple in 1831. Due to regional accents, he was later mistakenly referred to as Wu Gulun or Wu Gulun.
In the sixteenth year of Dao Guang (1836), the five-year-old Wu Gulun was sent to Shaolin Temple for monastic life due to family poverty. It was both fate and exceptional karma that he directly became a disciple of the secluded Shaolin Chan martial arts master, the 14th generation successor of Yonghua Hall, Master Shi Zhanmo, and received the Dharma name Jiqin.
To convert is to be reborn, and he embarked on a completely different life.
Let's rewind to the year 1828, the eighth year of Qing Dao Guang. One hundred and two years have passed since the ban on martial arts issued in the fourth year of Yongzheng (1726). Influenced by the folk use of Shaolin Kung Fu to gather anti-Qing public opinion for years, the situation in Shaolin Temple has become increasingly bleak, and the transmission of Chan martial arts has long been transferred from public to underground, and there are no more scenes of monks practicing and performing martial arts. Nowadays, there is still a stone monument named "West Hall Zhishan Monument" erected in 1846 in Shaolin Temple, which truthfully records the scenes of monks practicing Chan martial arts in the temple: "Daytime classics, night performances, and also observe the tradition of Shaolin, not to neglect martial arts." The original place of "night performance martial arts" is the Qianfodian Hall in Shaolin Temple today, and the ground in the hall can still be clearly seen from the time when 48 foot pits were left.
In 1828, the full-time officer of the Qing dynasty, the complete worship of the mountain, admired the Shaolin stunt and wanted to see it. In order to avoid the court's investigation, the temple master denied that the monks practiced martial arts in the temple. Complete worship immediately made a definitive answer to the monks who had heard about Shaolin Quan Yong, and it was prudent to protect the name of the mountain. When the temple master heard these words, he put down his heart and arranged for the martial arts to be performed for the worship. After watching the performance, Wanqing praised: "The bears are stretched out, really agile."
At this point, the matter should have ended, but after that, rumors spread, saying that the worship was the secret agent of the court, and they caught the evidence that the temple violated the court's ban and still practiced martial arts. The court was preparing to punish Shaolin on this basis. The principal monk at the time considered that if the rumors were true, Shaolin Temple would be in danger. Therefore, he ordered the main monks who participated in the martial arts performance to scatter and retreat to various lower temples in Shaolin Temple in the hope of avoiding possible disasters. Among them, the main monk who led the monks to perform martial arts was assigned to the most remote lower temple, the stone ditch temple.
It was here that Wu Gulun spent his childhood and youth in countless days and nights of Zen meditation and martial arts practice. Such diligent training, coupled with his sincere temperament and exceptional talent, allowed Wu Gulun to achieve considerable proficiency in both Zen and martial arts. However, he had repeatedly been denied the opportunity to learn Shaolin's "Supreme Zen Martial Arts Heart Methods." Frustrated, Wu Gulun resorted to secretly studying on his own for three years. One day, after three years of clandestine learning, Zhanmo summoned him and instructed him to demonstrate what he had learned. It was then that Wu Gulun realized that his three years of secretive learning had been known all along to Zhanmo, who tested his desire for knowledge, perseverance, and wisdom. Fortunately, Wu Gulun did not disappoint his master's expectations. Recognizing his admirable potential and steadfastness, Zhanmo wholeheartedly transmitted the profound teachings of Zen martial arts to him. After many years of rigorous practice, Wu Gulun deeply grasped the essence of Zen martial arts, achieving unity of mind, body, and qi. He eventually became the consummate master of Shaolin's Zen martial arts, the 15th generation successor of Yonghua Hall.
According to the late abbot of Shaolin Temple, Master Shidechan, Wu Gulun was nicknamed "White Tiger Star," a title bestowed upon him by the monks of the temple in recognition of his unparalleled martial skills. Among the villagers of Shigou Temple, many legendary stories of martial monks such as Haifa, Zhanmo, and Jiqin practicing martial arts in the temple still circulate. These include feats like Zhanmo's "Crossing the River Without Wetting His Shoes" and Jiqin's "Crushing Stones Into Powder." Research indicates that during the Daoguang era, martial monks from the lineage of Haifa and Zhanmo practicing at Shigou Temple later became crucial figures in Shaolin's martial arts. Subsequent successors such as Zhanju, Jiqin, Wu Shanlin (Jiqin's lay disciple), Zhenjun, and Degen were important figures in modern and contemporary Shaolin martial arts. Many of the martial techniques passed down in Shaolin Temple and its surrounding areas such as Dengfeng, Yanshi, and Gongyi today originated from the lineage of Haifa and Zhanmo (see Chapter 1, "History of Shaolin Kung Fu" in the series "Oral and Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity—Shaolin Kung Fu," p. 26). Terms like "Crushing Stones Into Powder" and "Crossing the River Without Wetting His Shoes" may sound legendary to contemporary readers, but theoretically, they are not impossible feats. For true martial arts masters, these achievements result from the harmonization of internal energy, mind, qi, and strength. Regarding such seemingly extraordinary realms, renowned martial artist Xue Dian once said, "It sounds fantastical, but through practice, it becomes clear."
As the Qing dynasty's control weakened, prohibitions against teaching and practicing martial arts became increasingly ineffective, allowing Shaolin Temple to openly revive its martial traditions. Moreover, given Zhanmo's advancing age, Wu Gulun was arranged to return to Shaolin Temple to assist his senior disciple Zhanju in promoting Shaolin's Zen martial arts culture.
In 1860, the destruction of the renowned Old Summer Palace attracted global attention, and subsequent treaties such as the humiliating Treaty of Tianjin and Treaty of Beijing exacerbated social unrest. Fearing for Shaolin Temple's safety, the incumbent abbot secretly arranged for Wu Gulun to leave the temple and return to lay life, hoping he could preserve Shaolin's cultural heritage among the people. Before departing, to leave a martial manual for future generations, Wu Gulun and his senior disciple Zhanju led the temple monks in a reenactment of the 1828 martial arts demonstration for Lin Qing, depicted by local artist Wu Ge. This mural vividly depicts the historical event of the martial demonstration while covertly embedding advanced combat techniques of Shaolin's Six Harmony Sparring, known as the "White Robe Hall Martial Arts Chart" or "Cui Pu Chart."
According to temple rules, any monk who has studied the Heart Methods of Zen must undergo the "Mountain Gate Test" to prove their comprehensive mastery of Shaolin's Zen martial arts before they are eligible to leave Shaolin Temple and teach martial arts in the world. Driven by the mission to preserve Shaolin's profound teachings, Wu Gulun became the last monk of Shaolin to pass the "Mountain Gate Test," doing so in the eighth year of Tongzhi (1869). Before leaving, Zhanmo solemnly advised Wu Gulun, "Do not flaunt your skills, relying on martial prowess. Instead, be as subtle as the rain soaking clothes and the leisurely falling flowers, live in peace, go with the flow, do not lose your way, universally benefit all beings, continue the Three Treasures, and revitalize Shaolin."
After returning to lay life, Wu Gulun initially settled in Tangzhuang, married to a woman named Ou, and had three sons and one daughter. He practiced medicine as his profession. News spread quickly about Wu Gulun, the former monk who retained the Heart Methods of Shaolin, attracting frequent visitors seeking to spar, apprentice, or even attempt to steal the imagined secrets of the Heart Methods. This brought numerous disturbances to the Wu family. Consequently, Ou suffered from a miscarriage due to fright while pregnant with their fourth child, Wu Shuanglin, who was born the same year in 1879 but died shortly afterward. In the same year, Wu Gulun returned to Yanshi with his daughter and three sons to live in seclusion, settling in Bayu Gulley's Yangshumiao Village. Upon arrival, Wu Gulun purchased a small courtyard from the Qiao family and settled there. His descendants continued to pass down the ancient wheel fist method for generations at this location.
Living in seclusion, Wu Gulun farmed, practiced medicine, taught his children martial arts, and continued his Zen meditation. Through diligent labor and constant reflection on his roots, he elevated Shaolin martial arts, rooted in everyday life, to new heights. While preserving tradition, he also adapted it with great wisdom to fit contemporary societal conditions, allowing future generations to cultivate Shaolin's Zen martial arts through daily life practices. He truly pioneered a new system of practice known as the Founder of the Ancient Wheel Fist Method, a name that rightfully acknowledges his contributions.
