Our answer
Birthplace of Chan, cradle of kung fu 禅宗祖庭，天下功夫出少林
A working Buddhist monastery on Mount Song, Henan, and part of a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2010
The short answer
Shaolin Temple (少林寺, Shàolín Sì) is a Buddhist monastery at the foot of Mount Song near Dengfeng, Henan province, in central China. Founded in 495, it is honoured as the birthplace of Chan (Zen) Buddhism and the cradle of Shaolin kung fu, and has been part of a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2010.
| In Chinese | 少林寺 (Shàolín Sì), ‘monastery in the grove of Mount Shaoshi’ |
|---|---|
| Location | Foot of Wuru Peak, Mount Song (嵩山), Dengfeng, Henan province |
| Founded | 495, sponsored by Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei |
| Known for | Chan (Zen) Buddhism and Shaolin kung fu |
| UNESCO | Part of the Historic Monuments of Dengfeng World Heritage site, 2010 |
| Kung fu heritage | National intangible cultural heritage of China since 2006 |
| Must-see | The Pagoda Forest: about 240 monks’ tomb pagodas, Tang to Qing |
Where is Shaolin Temple?
Shaolin Temple stands at the foot of Wuru Peak in the Mount Song range, outside the city of Dengfeng in Henan province, central China. Dengfeng sits at the southern foot of the mountain and lies between the provincial capital, Zhengzhou, to the north-east and the old capital Luoyang to the north-west. Mount Song is one of China’s five sacred mountains, and UNESCO describes it as the country’s central sacred mountain.
The name means the monastery in the grove (林, lín) of Mount Shaoshi (少室山), part of the Mount Song range.[1][2][5][9]
Shaolin history and legend in brief
Some of the best-known Shaolin stories are traditions rather than recorded history; we mark them as such.[1][3][6][7][8]
| When | What happened |
|---|---|
| 495 | The monastery is founded under Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei. Its first abbot is an Indian monk known in Chinese as Batuo, who also translated Buddhist texts. |
| 527 (by legend) | The Indian monk Bodhidharma arrives and, tradition says, meditates facing the wall of a cave on Wuru Peak for nine years. |
| Early Tang dynasty | Thirteen staff-wielding Shaolin monks help Li Shimin, the future Emperor Taizong, against his rival Wang Shichong, as recorded on a stele at the temple. |
| 689 | Date of the oldest pagoda in the Pagoda Forest, that of Master Faru. |
| 728 | The ‘Shaolin Monastery Stele on Mount Song’ is erected, recording the thirteen monks’ story. |
| Qing dynasty (1644–1911) | A wall painting at the temple, ‘Warrior Monks in Action’, shows 34 monks practising in pairs. |
| 1982 | The film Shaolin Temple, Jet Li’s debut, makes the monastery a major tourist destination in China and abroad. |
| 2006 and 2010 | Shaolin kung fu becomes national intangible cultural heritage (2006); the temple and Pagoda Forest join the UNESCO World Heritage List (2010). |
Bodhidharma and Chan (Zen) Buddhism
Chan (禅, chán) is the Chinese school of Buddhism better known abroad by its Japanese name, Zen. The word comes from the Sanskrit *dhyana*, meaning meditation. Chan teaches that anyone can awaken, with the guidance of a master, through meditation and direct insight rather than through reading scripture alone, and that awakening can come suddenly. It flourished in China from the 8th century and later spread to Korea, Japan and Vietnam.
Tradition names Bodhidharma (菩提达摩, Pútí Dámó, or simply Damo) as Chan’s first patriarch in China. He was probably a meditation master from South India who reached China around the late 5th or early 6th century. The legends about him are vivid: that he told Emperor Wu of Liang that building monasteries earned no merit towards enlightenment; that he sat facing a cave wall for nine years; and that his disciple Huike cut off his own arm to show his resolve. The first biography of Bodhidharma was written about a century after his death, so historians treat these stories as tradition rather than fact.[1][3][4]
Shaolin kung fu
Shaolin is called the cradle of Chinese kung fu, and its monks’ martial arts grew alongside their meditation practice. The best-known early record of fighting monks is the Tang stele of 728, which records the thirteen monks who helped Li Shimin. A Qing-era wall painting at the temple shows 34 monks sparring in pairs; it was brought to life by Shaolin performers at the 2023 Spring Festival Gala.
The popular story that Bodhidharma himself invented Shaolin kung fu is much later: it traces back to a qigong manual, the *Yijin Jing*, dated to 1624, and became widespread only in the 20th century. Shaolin kung fu was listed as national intangible cultural heritage in 2006, and the temple teaches martial arts to adults and children.[1][7][9]
What to see at Shaolin
- The main monastery: the working temple with its halls, steles and a ginkgo tree said to be a thousand years old.
- Kung fu performances: Shaolin martial arts performances are staged at the temple.
- The Pagoda Forest (塔林, Tǎlín): about 250 m to 300 m west of the temple, a cemetery of tomb pagodas for eminent monks spanning the Tang to Qing dynasties (618–1911). Counts vary from about 230 to 250; the oldest, Master Faru’s, dates from 689.
- Chuzu Temple (初祖庵): a small hall whose name means ‘first patriarch’, first built in the Song dynasty; it is part of the UNESCO listing.
- Bodhidharma’s Cave (达摩洞): on Wuru Peak above the temple, where tradition says he meditated facing the wall.
- The rest of the World Heritage site: the 2010 listing covers eight groups of buildings around Mount Song, including the Taoist Zhongyue Temple, the Songyue Pagoda, Songyang Academy and the Dengfeng Observatory. See our guide to Chinese pagodas.
Questions readers ask
Where is the Shaolin Temple located?
At the foot of Wuru Peak in the Mount Song range, near the city of Dengfeng in Henan province, central China. Dengfeng lies between Zhengzhou to the north-east and Luoyang to the north-west.
When was Shaolin Temple founded?
In 495, during the Northern Wei dynasty, with the support of Emperor Xiaowen. Its first abbot was an Indian monk known in Chinese as Batuo.
Who was Bodhidharma?
A Buddhist meditation master, probably from South India, who came to China around the late 5th or early 6th century. From the Tang dynasty he was revered as the first patriarch of Chan (Zen) Buddhism. Stories of him meditating facing a cave wall for nine years near Shaolin are tradition rather than recorded history.
What is Chan Buddhism?
Chan (禅) is a Chinese school of Buddhism, known in Japan as Zen. Its name comes from the Sanskrit dhyana, meditation. It stresses meditation and direct insight into one’s own mind under a teacher’s guidance, and holds that awakening can come suddenly.
Did Bodhidharma invent kung fu?
That is a popular legend, not history. The story traces back to a qigong manual, the Yijin Jing, dated to 1624, and spread widely only in the 20th century. The best-known early record of Shaolin fighting monks is a Tang stele of 728.
Are Shaolin monks real monks?
Shaolin is a working Buddhist monastery of the Chan school, and its monks follow Buddhist practice, with martial arts as part of their tradition. Read more about [daily life of Chinese monks](/culture/buddhism-in-china/monks).
Is Shaolin Temple a UNESCO World Heritage site?
Yes. Since 2010 the temple, including its Pagoda Forest and Chuzu Temple, has been part of the World Heritage site ‘Historic Monuments of Dengfeng in “The Centre of Heaven and Earth”’, which covers eight groups of buildings around Mount Song.
What is the Shaolin Pagoda Forest?
A cemetery of brick and stone tomb pagodas for eminent monks, just west of the temple. It holds roughly 240 pagodas (counts range from about 230 to 250) built from the Tang to the Qing dynasties; the oldest dates from 689.
Why is Shaolin Temple so famous?
Kung fu, above all. The 1982 film Shaolin Temple, Jet Li’s debut, sold an estimated 500 million tickets in China and turned the monastery into a major destination at home and abroad.
Sources
- Wikipedia, Shaolin Monastery · accessed 1 Nov 2026
- Encyclopaedia Britannica, Shaolin Temple · accessed 1 Nov 2026
- Encyclopaedia Britannica, Bodhidharma · accessed 1 Nov 2026
- Encyclopaedia Britannica, Zen · accessed 1 Nov 2026
- UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Historic Monuments of Dengfeng in “The Centre of Heaven and Earth” · accessed 1 Nov 2026
- Wikipedia, Pagoda Forest at Shaolin Temple · accessed 1 Nov 2026
- CGTN, Warrior monks from wall painting brought to life (27 January 2023) · accessed 1 Nov 2026
- Wikipedia, Shaolin Temple (1982 film) · accessed 1 Nov 2026
- Wikipedia, Dengfeng · accessed 1 Nov 2026
- China Daily (People's Daily Online), Shaolin martial arts helps traditional Chinese culture go global (28 April 2025) · accessed 1 Nov 2026
Update log. 1 November 2026 — reviewed. Next review due 1 February 2027. Suggest a correction