Shaolin Temple has long been honored by countless Kung Fu movies as the center of Shaolin Kung Fu. From the early Shaw Brothers Hong Kong films to the futuristic stylings of The Matrix to the CGI-animated action-comedy Kung Fu Panda, this Buddhist monastery is the progenitor of a system of fighting techniques that involves fists, legs, and an array of weaponry. Situated in Song Mountain near Zhengzhou City in Henan Province, Shaolin Temple is not only the place were the world-famous martial arts style developed but also the birthplace of Zen Buddhism. Shaolin Temple,  whose name literally means “the monastery built by the woods of Mount Shaoshi” was established by Buddhabhadra, an Indian monk who helped spread Buddhism in China. The 5th century monastery has been destroyed and rebuilt many times throughout its history, and has played a role in the many dynasties of the Middle Kingdom. The most recent incarnation of the temple has facilities that support the growing inflow of tourists, allowing countless kung fu movie fans and ardent  practitioners to visit their martial arts Mecca as well as using the income generated from them to fund the religion into the new century. This is all the doing of the temple’s latest Abbot Shi Yongxin, who wants to bring the teachings of Shaolin to the 21st century, and bring a little of the 21st century to the temple in return.

There are three main areas in Shaolin Temple that visitors can access. The Performance Hall is the first area that visitors encounter, where a masterful troupe of some 20 Shaolin students perform impressive feats of martial arts. If you come early enough in the morning, you can even witness students of all ages practicing their lessons outside in the grassy fields.

After the performance, you can walk fifteen minutes to the main temple itself, or take the electric car provided by the monastery. As you pass through the many rooms, you can see the building is in good shape due to the funding from the tourist trade. A must-see area is the Hall of a Thousand Buddhas, also known as the Training Hall. The floor of the hall has many indentations left by monks who trained here over the centuries.

Behind the temple are pay telescopes which allows visitors to view the white Bodhidharma statue up the mountain. Bodhidharma is a monk from South India and the 28th successor to Buddha, and was the one who introduced Zen Buddhism to China. While the unathletic visitors can take advantage of this instrument, a true Shaolin fan will spend 45 minutes climbing up the mountain. Upon ascending the steps, the stalwart visitor can catch a glimpse of the Bodhidharma cave, where a wall contains an outline of the famed monk. This is the place where Bodhidharma sat in meditation for 9 years, until the rays of the sun burned his outline unto the wall. If you think you have the stamina to conquer the steps, make sure to bring plenty of water, as the price for a drink increases the further you go up.

The last main area that visitors can pass through is the Pagoda Forest, 300 meters west of the monastery, where the Shaolin monks are buried. More notable members are honored with pagodas that are decorated with carvings relevant to each monk. Each pagoda’s size and height is determined by the rank attained by their respective monk. There are 250 stone and brick structures built during the Tang, Song, Jin, Yuan, and other dynasties, all the way to the modern era. The latest pagoda itself is carved with images of an airplane, laptop, and other modern items. This is one of the few places in the monastery that does not charge any fee to enter, as the monks are forbidden to require money for their burial area.

The best way to visit Shaolin Temple is from Zhengzhou, where a tour vehicle and guide can be arranged by your hotel. You can try the budget friendly Yuyan Hotel or the Jin Qiao Hotel. Alternatively, long-distance buses travel from Zhengzhou terminals all the way to Shaolin, allowing you to make your way around the temple grounds by yourself. The temple is open from 8am to 7pm every day throughout the year; allot yourself half a day to explore the monastery. You can have lunch served by the  street vendors outside the temple, or the vegetarian restaurant run by Shaolin nuns.

Posted in Attractions, China

This entry was posted on Thursday, February 26th, 2009 at 10:24 am and is filed under Attractions, China. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.