Shaolin Temple -- the third largest place of worship in China

Everything you need to know about the Shaolin temple and its monks:

• Other names and names : Shaolin / Shaolin Monastry temple (in Chinese: 少林寺 / Shàolín Sì)

• Location : Mont Song, county de Dengfeng, province of Henan (China)

• Construction dates :
• Founded in the 5th century (in the year 477) by the emperor Xiaowen (or Xiaowendi) of the Northern Wei dynasty, in honor of an Indian monk called Batuo, who taught Buddhism through China, more precisely Theravāda Buddhism.
• During its history, the Shaolin monastery was looted, ransacked, destroyed and rebuilt many times. In the 14th century, during the revolt of the red turbans, rebels plumped the temple and chased the monks. In 1641, the rebel forces led by Li Zichgeng ranged the temple due to the support of the Shaolin monks at the Ming dynasty.

• Architecture : The total area of ​​the temple is around 58,000 square meters. The monastery was built asymmetrically, with 7 main halls in its axis, as well as a multitude of buildings surrounding them. In the main hall, 2 statues are erected: a statue of the Gautama Buddha (or Sakyamuni) and a statue of the Guanyin Buddha (Guanshiyin or kwan-yin). More than 250 pagodas are 300 meters west of the temple, or are buried many Shaolin monks.

• Worship : Mahāyāna Buddhism (also called Zen Buddism or Buddhism Chan)

• Significant facts :
• According to Chinese legend, Bodhidharma, an Indian monk, taught Zen Buddhism through China and Shaolin monks, as well as martial arts. However, these facts have been denied by several historians, and the origin of Zen Buddhism, martial arts and Kung-Fu Shaolin are still vague, and would be partly linked to Confucianism and Taoism.
• The best known history which would be at the origin of the propagation of martial arts and Kung-fu Shaolin through China and Asia would have taken place following the destruction of the temple by the Qing dynasty, thanks to 5 Fugitive monks. However, many historians deny these facts. The Shaolin monks would have taught kung-fu themselves to neighboring schools, to prevent Shaolin art from being poorly copied.
• According to many legends and stories, the Shaolin monks were employed as an elite army even seeing spies by the various emperors of China. However, this turns out to be false, since their involvement in combat and war are only very rare (only a few occasions during the 7th and 8th centuries). These events are attested by the installation of a funeral stele in 728. Note that the practice of martial arts has in fact become an integral part of their worship and tradition over time and the development of Shaolin worship.
• In 1966, during the cultural revolution, the Shaolin monastery was ransacked was partially destroyed. Many groups of martial arts from around the world make donations to restore the monastery, and in 1981, the monastery officially reopens. Since 1996, Shaolin monks have organized martial demonstrations worldwide, in order to promote Chinese and Shaolin culture worldwide.

Do you have other anecdotes or info on the Shaolin monastery? Do not hesitate to share them in the comments!

And now, some photos ... because images are better than words! 

Another shooting of the pagodas of the Shaolin temple, Or Monks sometimes train there.

A Shaolin monk in the middle of his cause weekly. Regardless of the weather conditions, the Shaolin monks are exercised to the art of Kung-fu Shaolin about 6 has 7 hours a day.