Is southern shoalin better than northern shaolin?

Answer 1

You watched that Shaw Brothers movie didn't you? In case you didn't, I think its called "Invincible Shaolin," in which northern monks kill southern ones, or are tricked into killing them, and then southern monks seek revenge. In actual history, it is in fact the southern Shaolin temple which had the better win reccord, reason being southern China had a much larger popuation, and with it a larger talent pool. The effectiveness of either branch of Shaolin Kung Fu, as with all Martial Arts, is dependent mostly on the practitioner's own willpower, age, purity of heart and mind, and the guidance they receive more than anything. True some styles are more effective than others, but even a practical, relatively easy to learn method of fighting such as MMA for example will be ineffective if the practitioner is weak willed.