Shaolin Monastery

Shaolin – is the famous Chinese shrine that it has found its place in the province of Henan, surrounded by magnificent highlands and forests.

Back in the 5th century, a Taoist temple complex existed on this site, which was taken over by Buddhist monks during the persecution of fans of Taoism.

The old legend says that a place on the mountain was chosen for the temple for a reason, and for its resemblance to the lotus flower, which is sacred on this earth. The name of the monastery building went from the top of the Shaoni, on one of the slopes of which this sacred building found its place. « Shao » - consonant with the name of the mountain, and « Lin » - in Chinese means a forest located around the monastery.

Shaolin traditions number more than 1,500 years. The founder of this direction is a monk named Bodhidharma, with the help of which those who served in this temple were able to find Buddhist practices where a kind of meditation and physical activity are successfully combined, in the form of various strength training. By combining spirituality with military training, the monk turned the temple into a haven of martial arts, where brave warrior monks were brought up.

In the following times, this difficult shrine made a huge contribution to Chinese traditions. Within these walls, more than one course of martial arts of this country originated.

Legend tells that the real warrior Shaolin was obtained only after passing the path from 10 to 15 years of tireless training and spiritual work on himself. It is worth noting that the monk warrior must have perfect command of the battle technique, as well as know the entire history of the monastery. Real warriors, immigrants from the Shaolin Monastery, had to impeccably put into practice the acquired battle skills, both with weapons and without weapons.

Shaolin Monastery is located on a mountainside, which gives it a stepped look. This eastern temple is surrounded on all sides by a huge wall saturated with red, the height of which is approximately 3 meters. The roof of the temple is represented in green colors, adhering to Chinese traditions. The entrance to the sacred structure is decorated with the gates of Shanmen, on which are sculptures of lions.

Among tourists, the Heavenly Kings Hall, where Buddhist sculptures are located, as well as the Thousand Buddhas hall, is particularly successful. The hall of Western Shrines is known for the fact that at one time training of soldiers took place here. Traces of such difficult long-term activities can be seen on the floor, in the form of a curved print. Mahavira Hall is considered the very center of Shaolin, in which there is a drum tower, as well as a bell tower. There is a tradition here that lasts more than one century, according to it, every new morning they meet with a bell ringing, and they spend the outgoing day beating off the drum.

The Shaolin Monastery is listed on UNESCO, because it is a vibrant cultural heritage of China.