Bodhidharma (Japanese pronounciation is Daruma, and was known in China as Ta-Mo) was a prince and warrior from southern India who lived in the 6th Century AD. According to the records of the Lo-Yang temple, Bodhidharma was a Buddhist monk under the tutelage of Prajnatara and it is presumed that upon his death bed that Prajnatara requested Bodhidharma to travel to China where he felt the principles of Buddhism were in decline, and that the knowledge of dhyana (Zen koans) should be known.

It is estimated that in 520 AD during the Southern dynasties that Bodhidharma entered China and traveled northward to the kingdom of Wei where the fabled meeting with emperor Wu of the Liang dynasty began. This meeting is recorded do to the intense conversation and discussion of Buddhism and dhyana which took place. The meeting was to no avail, his words to the worldly emperor meant nothing, and thus, sullened by his attempts, Bodhidharma left the palace of the emperor and traveled to the Honan province where he entered the Shaolin temple.

Upon reaching the Shaolin Temple, Bodhidharma saw that the monks where in a ragged condition. They were physically and mentally diminished due to the excess amount of time the monks spent in meditation and little else. Many of the monks would often fall asleep in meditation while others needed assistance in the basic necessities of life - so feeble was their condition.

Bodhidharma instructed the monks in the courtyard and began to explain and work with them in the art of Shih Pa Lohan Sho (the 18 hands of Lohan) so that the monks could attain enlightenment while preserving their physical health.

These 18-technique style that Bodhidharma taught was later expanded to 72 foot and hand positions by Ch'ueh Yuan. This was then again to increased to 170 moves by Ch'ueh and Li-shao and became the basis for Ch'uan fa.