The Shaolin Temple Guide

The Shaolin Temple was founded in 496 AD during the Northern Wei Dynasty to honor an Indian monk named Bodhidharma. It is located in the region of Song Mountain, Dengfeng City. The birth place of Chinese Buddhism is said to have begun here and is also the home to China's famous marital arts. When travelling the temple, one site that must be visited is the Pagoda Forest. There are 243 stupas located inside the temple, all with different architectural styles. The first stupa built here was in 791 AD and the last one can be dated back to 1803 AD. Altogether, there were 6 dynasties that took place during the construction of these stupas.

Shaolin Temple embraces many excitiing attractions, such as The Hall of Heacenly Kings, the Mahavira Hall, the Pagoda Forest, the Dharma Cave and the Shaolin Temple Martial Art Center. etc. Travellers can follow the virtual guide about the Shaolin Temple. The First gate of Shaolin Temple is called Shanmen Hall. The hall enshrines the Maitreya Buddha. Two sides of the corridor behind the hall's gate are paved with inscriptions on stone steles made during several different dynasties. Next we arrive at the Hall of Heavenly Kings. There are two figures depicting Vajra ( Buddhist warrior attendants) standing on the both side. Inside the hall are figures of the Four Heavenly Kings who are responsible for inspecting peoples' behavior, helping the troubled, and blessing the people. Then you will come to the Mahavira Hall. The complex's center is right before your eyes. Both important celebrations and regular prayers are held here. 18 Buddhist Arhats stand along the eastern and the southern walls of the hall. The Pagoda Forest in Shaolin Temple is the largest of China's pagoda complexes in Shaolin Temple.

Inside Shaolin itself, Fangzhang Hall is where the abbots would rest. In 1750, Qing Emperor Qianlong lived in this hall during his visit to the temple. Afterwards, the temple was known as Long Ting, or Hall of the Dragon (due to the belief that the emperor is the son of the dragon). When entering the temple, one will first see a hall with double eaves with a Bell Tower and Drum Tower located nearby. Daxiongbaodian is the main hall of the temple, which was originally built in the Jin Dynasty but was destroyed in 1928. In the middle of the hall, the Trinity Buddha is enshrined. Outside, you will take a look at two monasteries, who were named the Ancestor's Monastery and the Second Ancestor's Monastery. The first monastery is built by a Dharma's disciple to commemorate Dharma's nine years of meditation in a cave. The second monastery is a nursing home of the second ancestor Huike who cut his left arm in order to show his sincerity to study Buddhism from Dharma. The cave you see is the Dharma Cave. The cave is seven meters deep and three meters high. Many stone inscriptions are carved on both its sides.
In a word, Shaolin Temple is a good travel spot for visitors. You will have a better understanding of Chinese Buddhism and the martial arts in Shaolin Temple.
How to travel in Shaolin Temple, Here are some guide information about Shaolin Temple .The detail is following:
Address: Dengfeng, Henan
Admission Fee: CNY 110
Opening hours: 08:10 a.m-17:30 p.m
Contact Hotline: 86 371 62749305

• The Shaolin Temple
• Kungfu Performance
• Songshan Mountain