question

[jamesinct]

Hello forgive my ignorance but I have always wondered what is the difference between the Shaolin and the Wu Dang arts ? did they really battle like portrayed in the old Kung Fu movies , or was it more a friendly rivalry with mutual respect ?

[Josh Young]

Very tough topic to address well.

My understanding is that at times there was mutual respect between Taoists and Buddhists and at times there was violence and no respect between them. The conflict has to do with religious and political disagreements as well as personal histories.

I practice taijiquan and do not practice Shaolin or Wudang Martial Arts so cannot address differences between them.

[yeniseri]

Very tough topic to address well.

My understanding is that at times there was mutual respect between Taoists and Buddhists and at times there was violence and no respect between them. The conflict has to do with religious and political disagreements as well as personal histories.

It is overstated in cinematic license! Many times, they merged or people drifted and used each others' cosmology interchangeably! Chen styel borrowed alot form Buddhist symbolism but people often interchangeably add the neo-Daoist influences to claim it is a Daoist art, no doubt an influence once existed or served as an origin!
The Four Buddha Exemplars of Chen shi taijiquan, to wit, Si Da Jin Gang....