Shaolin Temple (Shaolin si)
Located on Songsan Mt. near today's Dengfeng City, Hunan Province, China, the temple was first built in 495 A.D. during the Sui Dynasty by emperor Wen Di for the Indian Buddhist monk Ba Tuo. During this period of time, Indian Buddhists would often travel to China to increase their understanding of the natural world around them. On the other hand, there was also a growing interest in Buddhism in the Imperial Court. In Ba Tuo's situation, emperor Wen Di was pleased by Ba Tuo's acquaintance and decided to assist his journey by providing a new home for him by building Shaolin Temple above 1,648 acres of land. The name Shaolin actually originated from a description of the temple's location: in the forest ("lin") beneath Shaoshr Mt. ("Shao").
|
|
Legend tells that approximately 520 A.D. Indian Buddhist monk Bodhidharma traveled to China. Depending on translation, Bodhidharma is often known as Dharma, Da Mo, and Tat Moh, an Indian prince who renounced his royalty to follow the teachings of Budda. Upon his traveling, he encountered the monks of Shaolin Temple but was disappointed by their lack of physical and mental discipline and inability to uphold the true ways of Buddhism. In an attempt to formulate a resolution, Bodhidharma isolated himself in a nearby cave for nine years of meditation. The results of his meditation are known today as the basis of all Shaolin Kungfu, Chi Kong
|
|
Bodhidharma's Chi Kong exercises consisted of 18 routines involved basic breathing and movements that essentially taught Buddhists how to regulate their internal energy and strengthen their body and mind. The 18 routines are better known as the 18 forms of Arham Palm. Bodhidharma is also accredited as the founder of Zen Buddhism and it was only after his emergence did Shaolin Temple truly flourished.
|
|
|
Battle of the 13 Shaolin monks
621 A.D. the Shaolin monks fought their first battle. At the beginning of the Tang-dynasty an embittered fight raved between left Shimin, a north Chinese aristocrat whose father was the founder of the Tang-dynasty and a general of the Sui dynasty, Wang Shigong. Li Shimin had heard of the martial arts of the Shaolin monks and asked them fighting against Wang Shigong. The monks consented and drove in the famous battle of Qianglingkou the troops of the Shigong back. Shimin was crowned and was very generous with Shaolin monks. The Shaolin monk Tang Zong was appointed to a general and the temple received over 40 hectares field. Furthermore the Shaolin Temple got the permission for educating its own army. The term "fighting monk" was born and the monks of the Shaolin temple had reached high reputation in whole China.
In the Ming dynasty (1368 -1644) the Shaolin Kung Fu experienced an enormous upswing. The army of the temple was now 2500 men, and the Kung Fu of the temple was exercised in innumerable variants and techniques. The government of the Ming dynasty promoted the Shaolin Kung Fu in all possible forms. Thus weapon techniques, Chi gong, Meditation and all well-known fist forms became the daily trainings program of the monks.
|
Temple roof
|
The Pagoda Forest
Lying to the west of the temple, is the Pagoda Forest. The forest features 243 stupas of different architectural styles. It was said that the first stupa was a mound in India that held the body of the Buddha Sakyamuni. Over the centuries, the form of the stupa (or dagoba) became more stylized and eventually evolved (in Chinese Chan Buddhism) to the form seen in the Pagoda Forest. The first stupa at this site was built in 791 AD and the last is dated back to 1803 AD. The construction of the dagobas spanned the Tang, Song, Jin, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. The sizes of these dagobas range from seven stories (14.6 meters) to just a meter in height. All are built in either stone or brick. The exquisite stone and brick carvings are of great value in the study of Chinese carving.
|
Song Shan
One of the most famous Mountains in all of China, Song Shan is a holy destination that many Zen Bhuddists have set out to discover. This is the site where Bodhidharma medititated quietly in a small cave for nine years. He sat for so long that the sun burned his outlines into a stone, which can still be seen today. When he emerged he had lerned the philosophy for Zen Bhuddism and is considred to be a god by his followers. Thousands of Zen Bhuddists visit this site every year on sacred pilgrimages.
|
|
|
|
Standing in the center of China, Songshan Mountain is regarded as ¡°the King of the Five Sacred Mountains¡±. With Yellow River to the north and Yingshui River to the south, not only can you enjoy the marvelous geographic scene of five eras, but eight-thousand year old Chinese history processes as well. Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism coexisted here, and Shaolin Temple, Zhongyue Temple and Songyang Academy flourished together.
Xiangshan Temple (Xiangshan Si)
|
The Xiangshan Temple, with pines and cypresses around on the east hill at Longmen, was built by imperial court for burying the famous Indian Monk Dipoeluo in Wuzhou Period. The Xiangshan Temple was very prosperous in the history. Today the Xiangshan Temple after being restored, with the grottoes together, makes the scenery more magnificent.
|
|
The tomb of the great poet of Tang Dynasty, Bai Juyi, is located on the lute-shaped peak north of Xiangshan Temple. Bai Juyi made up "nine persons of Xiangshan hill" with Monk Ruman, and so on, to compose and sing poetry as a hermit in the Xiangshan Temple. In the sixth year of Huichang Bai Juyi died in his hometown, ludaoli of Luoyang. Today the tomb of Bai Juyi has become the best place for visitors to condole with the great poet.
|
|
Monk reading
|
Monk sleeping
|
|
Incense burning
|
For Sale
|
Fengxian Temple (Ancestor Worshipping Temple)
|
Stretching along the precipitous cliff of the southern side of West Hill, Fengxian Temple, also named Grand Vairocana Buddha Niche, is the largest cave in Longmen. Measuring 35 meters in width and 39 meters in length, this cave was carved over 1300 years ago (from 672 to 675 AD) during the Tang Dynasty. When it was first constructed, the entire grotto was covered with a roof and enclosed from the natural elements. Today the roof is missing and the sculptures stand out in the open air.
|
|
The most extraordinary statue in Fengxian Temple is the Grand Vairocana Buddha, which is 17.14 meters tall with his head 4 meters long and his ear 1.9 meters wide. Sitting in the middle of the niche, this colossal Buddha shows a perfect combination of moral integrity, delicate emotions, broad mind and elegant semblance. Her lips are slightly upturned and her head a little bit lowered, a slight smile makes her look like a sagacious and benign middle-aged woman whom you would respect but not fear. It is said that the statue was modeled after the face of Empress Wu Zetian, so people also call it Empress Wu Zetian's Statue. Furthermore, due to the gentler facial expression, this statue is reputed as the "Eastern Mona Lisa", the "Eastern Venus", and the "Mother of China".
|
|
Qiyun Pagoda (Cloud Reaching Pagoda) located at the White Horse Temple
|
