Longtime Wu-Tang Clan fans may already know the origins of the iconic rap group’s name and mythology. But for the uninitiated, or those who want a reminder, much of Wu-Tang’s foundational imagery and references were rooted in Chinese martial arts. That’s mostly thanks to founding member RZA.
The name Wu-Tang Clan directly references the 1983 martial arts film Shaolin vs. Wu-Tang. In the film, the two main characters are rival kung fu masters: one from the Shaolin school and the other from the Wu-Tang school. Allegedly, RZA (Robert Diggs) and Ol’ Dirty Bastard (Russell Jones) saw the film together at a New York City grindhouse theater in 1992. It became one of RZA’s favorite movies, serving as inspiration for the emerging rap group.
But RZA’s love and knowledge of kung fu go beyond films. He befriended Shaolin Monk Shi Yan Ming in 1995, founder of the first USA Shaolin Temple in New York City. Shi defected from China in 1992 by escaping from his hotel while in San Francisco. He was one of several monks representing the Shaolin Temple at the invitation of the American Kung Fu Association. Once he established himself in New York, he started teaching Shaolin kung fu, where he and RZA met through a mutual friend.
RZA Cultivated a Personal Shaolin Kung Fu Practice That Inspired His Work With the Wu-Tang Clan
Shi was impressed by RZA’s self-taught knowledge of Chan Buddhism, the religious foundation of Shaolin kung fu. He was also impressed by the rapper’s collection of kung fu movies and religious books.
“To him, he is just learning the philosophy,” Shi said of RZA in a 1999 interview they both did with Kung Fu Tai Chi Magazine. “Wherever you come from, he respects. He respects all: Christian, Buddhist, Taoist – all the different religions.”
RZA became a student of Shi Yan Ming almost immediately after they met. “I had no actual martial background besides a lot of reading of the philosophies,” said RZA. But by 1999, he’d been training with the Shaolin Temple for three years. At the time, Shi described him as a dedicated and humble student.
Digging into the mythology of the Wu-Tang Clan, it becomes clear that RZA’s study of Shaolin kung fu influenced his work. Alongside his personal knowledge and relationship with the practice, martial arts films also played a role.
For example, the group’s debut album, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), combined elements from three kung fu movies. There was the original inspiration, Shaolin vs. Wu-Tang, where the group also sampled some of the English-dubbed dialogue. The title also pulled from the 1973 Bruce Lee film Enter the Dragon and The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (1978).
Photo by Al Pereira/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
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