The Shaolin Temple

         The Shaolin Temple was built in 495 A.D. by an Indian monk named Ba Tuo in the Songshan Mountains in the province Henan. Shaolin Temple is probably the most famous temple in China, not only because of its long history and its role in Chinese Buddhism, but also because of its martial arts Shaolin Temple is situated in the beautiful Songshan Mountains, which is only eight miles of Dengfeng and about 50 miles southwest of Zhengzhou, the capital of Henan Province. Shaolin Temple The end of the 5th Century CE and Indian Buddhist monk by name of Ba Tuo (Chinese Name) was traveling through China teaching Buddhism, helping and guiding Those he met. His great wisdom and kindness came to the ears of the Emperor who summoned Ba Tuo to come to him. Exact details of what happened at this meeting are Not entirely clear but is seems that Ba Tuo was offered riches, a place in the palace and Encouraged to continue his teachings.

          Ba Tao kindly declined this offer and asked for a Piece of land far away from any ‘civilized’ place in the province of Henan, on the side of the Song sang Mountain. There he was given a large piece of land and the resources to Build a monastery in an area called ‘Wooded Hill’ or ‘Small Forest’, which translates to Shaolin in Mandarin of Sil-Lum in Cantonese. According to the Continued Biographies of Eminent Monks (AD 645) by Daoxuan, the Shaolin Monastery was built on the north side of Shaoshi, the western peak of Mount Song, one of the Sacred Mountains of China, by Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei Dynasty for the monk Bu To. Yang Xuanzhi, in the Record of the Buddhist  Monasteries of Luoyang (AD 547), and Li Xian, in the Ming Yitongzhi (AD 1461), concur with Daoxuan’s location and attribution. The Jiaqing Chongxiu Yitongzhi (AD 1843) specifies That this monastery, located in the province of Henan.