“罗汉十八手”是少林拳术中较早的初级套路之一。据少林寺拳谱记载：远在隋时，少林寺武僧就为一些长期壁观坐禅的和尚编了一套活动量较小，动作简单的动作套路。初根据十八罗铜像各选了一个动作，称为十八罗汉手，后来，逐渐演化成有节有理的武术套路，亦称罗汉十八手，其防法主要是退、转、闪、躲、缩等避开对方之功招。同时又巧妙和合理地利用攻上防下，攻左防右，虚实兼用或攻防兼备。或一攻一防等，达到攻则不露蔽，防则寻机攻，遇强不挨打，遇弱必取胜，有战则胜敌的目的。同时也注意腿法，肘法和身法的配合。尤其注意眼法，招招做到：眼到手到，眼随招进。眼随势神，招前以眼决策，招后以眼定略。此乃罗汉十八手之功法妙诀矣。

The Eighteen Arhat Skills is one of the first elementary boxing series in Shaolin Kung fu. According to the Shaolin boxing manual: in the dynastic of Sui, the kung fu monks had selected and edited a simple series of boxing that didn't have too much exercise. It was for the Buddhist monks who sit in meditation facing the wall for long time. At first, they selected one movement respectively from the eighteen Buddhist arhats bronze statues, and it was called The Eighteen Arhat Skills. Later, it was developed into a complete wushu routine, and it was also called The Eighteen Arhat Skills. It mostly consisted of postures of retreating, turning, dodging, shrinking and so on to avoid the attacking of the opponent. The postures can be used skillfully to attack the enemy's upper part and defend his own lower part, attack the enemy's left part and defend his right part. You can also use both attacking and defending postures, false and true postures. You can achieve such aims: When you are attacking, you won't expose your shortcomings; when you are defending, you can find a chance to attack; when you face a stronger enemy, you won't be beaten; when you face a weaker enemy, you are sure to win. At the same time, pay attention to the coordination of the leg, elbow and the body. Pay special attention to the eyesight. Be sure that in every movement, the eyesight goes with the hands and the eyesight goes as one movement begins. Use your eye to decide which posture to practise before you start a move, and use your eye to settle the strategy after you have come out a posture. These are the clever ways of practicing the Eighteen Arhat Skills.