| （School of Physical Education，South China Normal University，Guangzhou 510006，China) Abstract: In such a view of GU Jie-gang as “making ancient history in a stratified way”, GU believed that early Chinese historical myths were mixed with historical facts, and that the later the actual time was, the earlier the leg-endary history would be on the contrary. The birth of the founding idol system of Shaolin Wushu completely fits such a pattern as well. The author of this article put forward the following opinions: the legend that Kinnara was the founder appeared in the Zheng De period of the Ming dynasty; the legend that TAN Zong was the founder appeared sometime between the Qian Long period and the early period of the Republic of China; the legend that ZENG Chou and HUI Guang were the founders appeared in the mid period of the Republic of China; later there was the legend that the founder of Shaolin Wushu was an old monk who defeated HUANG Jin; however, the actual time of the birth of Shaolin Wushu should be sometime between the end of the Yuan dynasty and the beginning of the Ming dynasty.
Key words: traditional national sport；Shaolin Wushu；stratification；founding idol system |
