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Karate Music

If you think of karate music there are some sounds and songs that come instantly to mind. For instance “Kung-Fu Fighting” originally by Carl Douglas is instantly recognizable to anyone in America. While the music made popular by kung fu movies is captivating to the public consciousness, the music listened to by the Shaolin monks was something quite different.

Shaolin monks are credited with much of the development of martial arts, and all modern disciplines trace their roots back to this heritage. The shaolin order is a Buddhist monastic order, and as such their lifestyle emphasizes meditation and reflection. Their martial arts were initially developed as a means to promote self awareness and enlightenment.

The kind of music a shaolin monk would listen to is ambient, soothing background music. This contrasts with the upbeat, high tempo variety that is usually associated with karate music. The reason for this is simple, western tastes tend towards high energy music because of our individualistic world view. Eastern philosophy and Buddhism especially emphasize a holistic, interconnected view of the world and our place in it. As a conduit of that philosophy, eastern music is intended to connect one with one’s surroundings and promote oneness.

 

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