It was back in 1998. Shi De Cheng had informed me that he knew about 80 different Shaolin forms. Now, making a list of all of those would be difficult, given the language differences. He had claimed to practice them on a regular basis. The reason for this? The transmission of information from master to disciple, in an exact fashion, as he had learned them from Shi Su Yun, Of all the monks I had met in Shaolin to this point, DeCheng was more of a Shaolin encyclopedia than most. The man knew a lot, and he was proud of the fact that he could remember, and, more importantly, teach the forms exactly as he had learned if. Shi Su Yun not only taught him the forms, as he had learned them from his master, but also taught him the importance of tradition, and maintaining the sanctity of the forms.

The following is a list of the commonly taught traditional forms at Shaolin, historically through this century, as per Shi Su Yun, via Shi De Cheng. Granted, there are others, but these are the most well known, and most accepted.

It should be known, that in the years after 2000, more and more iterations and changes to these forms, plus, the creation of new ones, took place. This was in response to the increase in competitions in China, and the need to alter the traditional forms to make them more stylized and competition capable.

Shaolin Temple Traditional Hand forms (present day)

Xiao Hong Quan
Da Hong Quan
Lian Huan Quan
Tong Bei Quan
Xiao Luohan Quan
Da Luohan Quan
Mei Hua Quan
Qi Xing Quan
Liu He Quan
Nan Quan
Xin Yi Quan
Lian Hua Quan
Yanqing Quan
Rou Quan
Chang Hu Xin Yi Men Quan
Xiao Pao Quan
Sa Pao Quan
Wu Xing Ba Fa Quan
Gui Ding Qiuan
Zhao Yang Quan
Cha Quan
Chang Quan
Di Tang Quan
Damo Quan
Jiudi Shi Ba Gun Quan

 

Shaolin Temple Traditional Hand forms (historical)

1.  Shaolin small Hong fist form   
2.  Shaolin small Hong fist form   
3.  Shaolin big Hong fist form   
4.  Shaolin big Hong fist form   
5.  Shaolin Xin Yi fist form
6.  Shaolin small Tong Bei fist form
7.  Shaolin big Tong Bei fist form
8.  18 hands Arhat form 1
9.  18 hands Arhat form 2
10.  18 hands Arhat form 3
11.  18 hands Arhat form 4
12.  18 hands Arhat form 5
13.  18 hands Arhat form 6
14.  18 hands Arhat form 7
15.  18 hands Arhat form 8
16.  Hu Shan Zi Men 18 hands Arhat form
17.  18 hands arhat form practice in pairs
18.  Shaolin drawing hands form practice in pairs
19.  Shaolin arhat fist form 1
20.  Shaolin arhat fist form 2
21.  Shaolin arhat fist form 3
22.  Arhat Chan Da fist form
23.  Shaolin cannon fist form
24.  Small Shaolin cannon fist form
25.  Small Shaolin cannon fist form 2
26.  Big Shaolin cannon fist form
27.  Shaolin clubs hands gesture fist form
28.  Small Shaolin clubs hands gesture fist form
29.  Big Shaolin clubs hands gesture fist form
30.  Shaolin Lian Huan fist form
31.  Shaolin lotus flower fist form
32.  Shaolin Xin Yi Chang fist form
33.  Shaolin Shao Yang fist form
34.  Shaolin 7 stars fist form
35.  Shaolin monkey form
36.  Shaolin 7 stars and mantis form
37.  Shaolin white ape and mantis form
38.  Shaolin clubs and mantis form
39.  Shaolin swallow shape fist form
40.  Shaolin 5 tiger fist form
41.  Shaolin black tiger fist form
42.  Shaolin fierce tiger fist form
43.  Shaolin gong Zi waylaying tiger fist form
44.  Shaolin 8 techniques fist form
45.  Shaolin chasing wind palm form
46.  Shaolin Luo Wang 18 palm form
47.  Shaolin Ye Cha Tie Sha palm form
48.  Shaolin Leopard hammer form
49.  Shaolin Sou Feng palm form
50.  Shaolin Jin Gang fist form
51.  Jin Gang fist form 2
52.  Jin Gang fist form 3
53.  Jin Gang fist form 4
54.  Jin Gang fist form 5
55.  Jin Gang fist form 6
56.  Jin Gang fist form 7
57.  Jin Gang fist form 8
58.  Jin Gang fist form 9
59.  Jin Gang fist form 10
60.  Shaolin Liu He fist form
61.  Shaolin Liu He fist form 2
62.  Shaolin Liu He fist form 3
63.  Shaolin wind and fire fist form
64.  Shaolin drunk fist form
65.  Shaolin Chang Hu Xin Yi Men fist form
66.  Shaolin 5 sons fist form
67.  Shaolin Wu He fist form
68.  Shaolin Wu He fist form 2
69.  Shaolin Wu He fist form 3
70.  Shaolin Wu He fist form 4
71.  Shaolin Wu He fist form 5
72.  Shaolin Jie jiao fist form
73.  Shaolin Pi Gua fist form
74.  Shaolin Tian ? fist form
75.  Shaolin Po Lian palm form
76.  Shaolin Cuan Gong fist form
77.  Shaolin Di Sha fist form
78.  Shaolin Xiang Yao fist form
79.  Shaolin rolling dragon palm form
80.  Shaolin stone fist form
81.  Shaolin step fist form
82.  Shaolin Si Lu Liu He fist form
83.  Shaolin flexible fist form
84.  Shaolin general Tai Ji form
85.  Shaolin short fighting form
86.  Shaolin Kan Jia fist form (Kai Shan fist form 1)
87.  Shaolin Kan Jia fist form 2 (Head on palm form)
88.  Shaolin Kan Jia fist form 3 (San Jian Zhu Ge)
89.  Shaolin Kan Jia fist form 4 (crossing heart hammer form)
90.  Shaolin Kan Jia fist form 5 (Wu Fu fist form)
91.  Shaolin Kan Jia fist form 6 (Di Pan kicking form)
92.  Shaolin Kan Jia fist form 7 (Clubs hammer form)
93.  Shaolin Kan Jia fist form 8 (Lian Huan hammer form)
94.  Shaolin Kan Jia fist form 9 (Lian Huan kicking form)
95.  Shaolin Kan Jia fist form 10 (Waylaying palm form)
96.  Shaolin Kan Jia fist form 11 (Pu Di Sha Form)
97.  Shaolin Kan Jia fist form 12(Qin Di Gui Shan Men form)
98.  Shaolin Kan Jia fist form 13
99.  Shaolin Xin Yi Ba form
100.    Shaolin Chao Yang fist form
101.    Shaolin Zhen Shan fist form
102.    Shaolin Chu Shan fist form
103.    Shaolin Hu Pu fist form
104.    Shaolin Bao Cuan fist form
105.    Shaolin Bao Cuan fist form 2
106.    Shaolin Bao Cuan fist form 3
107.    Shaolin Bao Cuan fist form 4
108.    Shaolin Ling Long fist form
109.    Shaolin 13 kicking forms
110.    Shaolin arhat 18 palm forms
111.    Shaolin 8 steps Lin Huan kicking form
112.    Shaolin Shi Tang spring kick form
113.    Shaolin chicken claw, dragon waist, tiger head varying form
114.    Southern Shaolin Yi Zhi Mei fist form
115.    Shaolin Beng Bu fist form practice in pairs