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The Shaolin Temple’s 1500-year old history is a chronicle of Chinese culture and legend. The cradle of both kungfu and Chan (Zen) Buddhism, the Temple and its monks are inextricably linked to Chinese national treasures and heroes.
Culture and Legend
Shaolin grew into equal parts kungfu and Buddhism. While the monks’ astounding physical ability has garnered them worldwide fame, Shaolin teachings maintain that kungfu is merely the material manifestation of an inner state. This unlikely fusion of a quiet spirituality with a daring physicality has driven the mythic power of the monks.
According to lore, soon after the Temple’s founding, the monks helped to defend the Emperor Li Shimin of the Tang Dynasty (618-907) against an invading warlord. This set the generally positive tone for relations with the imperial governments. However, the Temple’s fortunes were reversed during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) when martial arts were forbidden and the Shaolin monks were perceived as threats to the empire. Friction with the emperors led to the near destruction of the Temple by fire during the late 1600s. The Temple was rebuilt, and by the 1911 Revolution, a strong enough entity that it could contribute fighters to the resistance against the emperor.
Modern Times
In recent years, the Shaolin monks have had to struggle for relevance in today’s world while also preserving the integrity of the Temple’s teachings. The monks have increasingly come to rely on the popularity of their kungfu to spread their Buddhist message.
Initially, China’s Communist government did not look favorably upon the Shaolin Temple. During the 1980s however, as Shaolin kungfu gained popularity throughout China and the world, the government revised its position and began a program to promote and preserve Shaolin.
Keeping up with the demand for Shaolin training, many private schools cropped up around the Temple. This growth soon gave rise to what critics termed a “Disney atmosphere” in the area. Inspired by kungfu movies and images of flying monks, Chinese and foreigners alike made pilgrimages to learn Shaolin kungfu.
Monks and Temple officials argued that the awe-inspiring physicality of kungfu could be used to draw people to Shaolin, leading them ultimately to the core Buddhist principles. They understood the showmanship of the monks as a necessary preservation of Shaolin teachings through promotion. Cynical observers, however, detected a crass commercialization both in Shaolin village and in the glitzy international tours that summarily depicted Shaolin history while showcasing acrobatic stunts. |
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A monk at dawn inside
the Shaolin Temple
Kungfu disciples on the
Shaolin Temple steps |
Commerce and Preservation
Along with the profusion of schools claiming to teach Shaolin kungfu, the brand name “Shaolin” has been slapped on a wide range of products from canned hams to shoes and belts. The Temple has recently set up a corporation to safeguard its interests and to regulate the use of its name. Among an unlikely recent victory is an injunction against a factory selling Shaolin-brand sausages.
The Chinese government has also recognized the need to enshrine the institution of Shaolin. The term “kungfu” is under consideration by the UN to be placed on the “World Intangible Heritage” list. (UNESCO defines World Intangible Heritage as "the totality of tradition-based creations of a cultural community, expressed by a group or individuals and recognized as reflecting the expectations of a community in so far as they reflect its cultural and social identity...”) The government is also trying to add the physical Temple and surrounding structures on the “World Heritage List.” In an effort to beautify the area, the government has relocated the kungfu schools and Shaolin paraphernalia shops to a neighboring town.
Despite these attempts to return the area to a pristine state, life at the Shaolin Temple bears little resemblance to the fantastical innocence of early Chinese folktales. In general, monks’ disciples are chosen from among the best students in the private schools. Although many of this next generation of monks will cultivate only the kungfu teachings, dismissing the spiritual component, the Shaolin Temple has ensured its holistic survival through a philosophy that values both spectacle and preservation.
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