Shaolin

Shaolin is considered to be one of China’s most interesting cultural places. It is not only the place where the Chan Buddhism was developed, it is also the place where the foundation of martial arts has its roots and where Kung Fu originates from. With its long history filled with legends and mysteries it is still a fascinating place where the cultural heritage is cherished as both Chan Buddhism and Kung Fu are still intensively being practisized.

History of Shaolin

The Shaolin Temple was built in 495 A.D on the Songshan mountain in the province of Henan. The Songshan mountain is located in the centre of a group of five Holy Mountains, which are: Tai, Hua, Heng, Heng (in a different way of writing) and the mountain Song. The Shaolin Temple was built at the foot of the Five Breast Peak (Wu Ru Feng) in the middle of a young forest. Read more...

Shaolin Temple

The Shaolin Temple is said to be the “Number One Temple under Heaven”. The temple symbolizes the beginning of the Chinese Zen Buddhism and the Shaolin Martial Arts. The Temple is located in a beautiful scenery, surrounded by mountains and vegetation. The Shaolin Temple offers a lot of fascinating cultural sites, such as the Hall of Heavenly Kings (Tianwangdian), the Pagoda Forest, the Dharma Cave and the Mahavira Hall (Daxiongbaodian) and the Shaolin Temple Martial Art Training Centre. Read more...

Shaolin Philosopy

Buddhism originated from Nepal 2500 years ago and was spread to India 400 years later. 1500 years ago, it appeared in China. The philosophy of Shaolin is based on the Chan Buddhism, which is said to have its roots at the Shaolin temple, founded by Ta Mo, Bodhidarma or Dharma. Its main characteristic is the rejection of a large part of the protocol associated with other sections of Buddhism and is focussed on the practice of meditation and self-examination. Read more...

Shaolin Tourist Information

The city close located to the Shaolin Temple is Luoyang. This used to be the cultural heart of China during 13 dynasties, starting from the Xia dynasty in the 21st century B.C. After the Tang dynasty (618-907 A.D.), the significance of the city declined. Luoyang also used to be the capital of China for centuries. Since Louyang has such a rich cultural history, it offers a lot of sites that are more than worthwhile visiting. The Longmencaves compromise 1,300 caves, containing over 100,000 statues. Read more...