Clan Lineage & Dharma Names

The lineage of the Shaolin Temple is traced through patriarchal clan naming system or Dharma Names. The three treasures (Chan, Wu, Yi) of the Shaolin are passed down from teacher to disciple. Relative position of one generation to the next is recorded through the Dharma middle name. This naming system traces back to the Abbot Xuětíng Fúyù of the Shaolin Temple who set up the system in the 13th century AD. 

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The generation name or middle name comes from a generation poem consisting of 70 words composed by Abbot Xuětíng Fúyù. The name assigned to the disciple is based on counting the number characters in the poem based on the generation i.e. my generation is “Yong” this is the 33rd word in the poem, I am a 33rd generation disciple.

 

Last, the unique personal name is given to the disciple by their master and represents strong traits the disciple has demonstrated such as warrior, leader, mountain, or an animal bear, tiger, leopard.

 

Shaolin Warrior Martial Arts mission is to pass on teachings and tradition of Shaolin Kung Fu and preserve the Shaolin Temple lineage entrusted to us by venerable Abbot and Grand Master Shi Su Xi, 1924-2006, 30th Generation Shaolin Monk of the Shaolin Temple.