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History Of Kung FUAround 495 AD an enlightened Indian Buddhist monk by the name of Ba Tuo was traveling through China teaching and spreading the word of Buddhism. Ba Tuo was so influential that eventually the emperor heard about him. The emperor soon summond Ba Tuo to find out more about the spiritual and philosophical teachings of this elightened Indian Buddhist. Emporor Xiaowen was quite drawn and inspired by the teachings of Ba Tuo and offered him shelter and gifts if he would stay in the palace. Ba Tuo declined and requested a quite and calm environment to built a monastery. Emporor Xiaowen agree and the first Shaolin temple was built in the 19th year of the reign of Emperor Xiaowen during the dynasty of North Wei. For 3 decades Ba Tuo preached Nikaya Buddhism in China. The first Shaolin temple was built in the northern province of Honan on the north side of the Shaoshi peak of Mount Song, one of the sacred mountains of China. The monastery has since been destroyed and rebuilt many times due to the changing political environment. It remains one of the oldest Buddhist temples in China. The Second Temple The Fukien Temple was built around the same time as the Henan Temple becoming part of Shaolin around 650 AD. and became the 'Second Temple" of Shaolin. It was/is a much larger temple than the one in Henan and served as the second main temple in times where Henan was destroyed or occupied by other than Buddhists and Shaolin Shaolin is a sect of Mahayana Buddhism. Different sects of Mahayana Buddhists are in Tibet, Korea, China, and Japan. Chinese Mahayana Buddhism is called Ch'an (called Zen in Japan). |
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