As we all know, Shaolin Temple is the famous Buddhist temple in China and the ancestral temple with distinguished reputation as well as the birthplace of the Shaolin Kung Fu. If those overseas students who got internships in China intend to visit the Shaolin Temple, they should know it is located at the foot of Wuru Peak in Mount Song which is about 12 kilometers away from the west of Dengfeng city. It is one of the core scenic spots of Mount Song Tourist Attraction.
Shaolin Temple was originally constructed in the year of 495, which was in Taihe period of the Northern Wei Dynasty, which was built for the purpose of receiving the eminent monk from India. It is named Shaolin Temple because it is built in the dense forest of Shao Shi in Mount Song. In the year of 527, the eminent monk Bodhidharma from India went to Shaolin Temple and cultivated him in the natural cave of Wuru Peak for nine years, firstly spreading the Chan sect. since then, Shaolin Temple was known as the ancestral temple of Chan Sect.
At the beginning of Tang Dynasty, the thirteen monks holding the wood sticks as weapon made important progress during the war that the King of Qin state Li Shimin sending a punitive expedition against Wang Shichong. Therefore, the monks were highly praised and awarded by the dominator of Tang. If you are interested in Chinese culture, especially the Shaolin Temple, you may know the Shaolin Temple developed rapidly during this period because it was greatly supported by the imperial court, wining the reputation of the top one temple in China. As a result, the good name of Shaolin Kung Fu also spread far and wide.
But the peak time of Shaolin Temple was in Ming Dynasty. However, in the Republic of China, the warloard Shi Yousan burned most parts of Shaolin Temple, destroying the foundation of hundreds of years. Nevertheless, after the New China, the Shaolin Temple recovered its elegant demeanor under the support of the Communist Party and nation.
One point worthy of mentioning is that the film named Shaolin Temple made in the year of 1982 made Shaolin Temple even more famous in the whole world. Then it became a top tourism product in Henan province and even the whole world. Since the foundation, the temple has deposited rich historical connotation and profound cultural deposits.