Martial Arts Timeline - Middle Ages (500 To 1500)

Middle Ages (500 To 1500)

• 500 – The Shaolin Temple is built at the western base of the Chinese Song Shan mountain range, at the orders of Emperor Hsiao-wen. Successive Chinese emperors authorize fighting monks to train in the Temple.
• 550 – Indian monk Bodhidarma (called Dharuma in Japan) teaches what will be called Chan Buddhism. While there is no evidence he was involved in martial arts, he will appear in folklore as the founder of various kungfu and qigong systems, and Chán and Japanese offshoot Zen Buddhism will be influential among martial artists.
• 630 – Hindu temple artwork in India depicts unarmed combat techniques.
• 728 – Date of the "combat stele" at the Shaolin Monastery
• 782 – Japanese Heian period begins. Curved swords called Tachi (large sword) appear. Although samurai did not technically appear until the 12th century, in appearance these are the early curved swords commonly recognized as "samurai swords."
• 1156–1185 – Japanese Samurai class emerges during the warring period between the Taira and Minamoto families. The warriors code of Bushido also emerges during this time.
• 13th century – Malla Purana (Gujarat)
• ca. 1300 – MS I.33, the oldest extant martial arts manual detailing armed combat.
• 1338 – Japanese Ashikaga period, during which the samurai class expands its influence further. Many schools of swordsmanship flourish. The period ends around 1500.
• 1400 – China sends delegations to Okinawa, which then begins trading extensively with China and Japan. The indigenous Okinawan unarmed combat art called “Te” is likely influenced by Chinese and Japanese arts over the next three centuries, forming the basis for the modern art of Karate.
• 1477 – The Okinawan king Sho Shin, influenced by the Japanese, bans the carrying of arms. Similar bans occurred in Japan in 1586. Both apparently led to the underground development of striking arts and may have encouraged unarmed combat techniques designed for use against armored soldiers, such as Jujutsu.