Known worldwide as the center of Kungfu, Shaolin Temple is also a place to learn about Chinese Buddhism and culture.
Shaolin Temple, which is praised as “the first temple under Heaven”, is located in the foothills of Mount Song, one of the five holy mountains, in southern Luoyang and Zhengzhou. According to historical records, it was founded in the reign of Emperor Taihe of the Northern Wei Dynasty by the Indian monk Ba Tuo. That means Shaolin Temple is more than one thousand years old, one of the most ancient religious structures in China.
The main buildings of Shaolin Temple are Shanmen Hall, Tianwangdian (“Hall of Heavenly Kings”), Daxionbaodian (the Mahavira Hall) and the Pagoda Forest. Shanmen Hall is the first building one encounters when visiting the Temple. The famous black tablet bearing the name of the Temple in golden characters which was inscribed by Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty is hung on top of this hall. Tianwangdian is dedicated to Four Heavenly Kings who are responsible for looking over people's life. Daxiongbaodian is the place for ceremonies and daily meditation. Here the deities of Buddhism are worshiped. Near the temple complex is the Pagoda Forest, the cemetery of abbots and eminent monks of the Temple. There are about 250 tomb pagodas here all of which carry inscriptions about their construction date and the life of their owners.
Bodhidharma, the 28th patriarch of Buddhism and the 1st patriarch of Chinese Zen Buddhism, is a significant figure of Shaolin Temple. He introduced Zen Buddhism into China and was also the founder of the renowned Shaolin Kungfu. It was he who developed a system of 18 intense exercises for the Shaolin monks to train their bodies which is the foundation of Shaolin martial art. Legend has it that he meditated in seclusion in a cave on top of the mountain for 9 years and he stayed in meditation state for so long that his face engraved into the wall of the cave. People call the cave in which Bodhidharma meditated “Dharma Cave”. Following him, the masters of Shaolin Temple isolate themselves for some years in their life meditating and practicing Kungfu.
Shaolin Temple's Kungfu and Fighting Monks are famous through historical events such as the rescue of Emperor Li Shi Min of the Tang Dynasty. However, the Temple is above all dedicated to the study of Buddhism and martial art like other things taught here is aimed to help a monk reach enlightenment. Contrary to common belief, there are Shaolin monks who do not practice martial art preferring to focus on their spiritual development. And following the pacifism of Buddhism, Shaolin Kungfu is always a means to train the mind and body as well as to defend oneself, not to do harm to others.
