Damo Cave

The temple first became known when the Shaolin monks assisted the then future-emperor Li Shimin defeating his rivals in the early Tang Dynasty (618-907). This set the generally positive tone for relations with future imperial governments.

Thanks to the great support of emperors in the following years, Shaolin Temple witnessed a fast expansion. It housed over 2,000 monks at its peak, who were constantly used by governments as soldiers to combat rebellions and foreign invaders. Emperor Kang Xi of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) was such an admirer of the monks that he had the three Chinese characters Shao Lin Si (Shaolin Temple) inscribed on a tablet, which still hangs over the gate today.

The temple's fortunes were reversed during the mid-Qing Dynasty when martial arts were banned and the Shaolin monks were perceived as threats to the empire. Various emperors had the temple set on fire during the late Qing Dynasty, leading to the near destruction of temple. In 1928, the warlord Shi Yousan sent troops to burn the temple because Shaolin monks had supported his rivals, and the fire destroyed large sections of Shaolin.

The temple was rebuilt, repopulated and designated an official tourist site by the Chinese government after the overwhelming success of the Jet Li movie Shaolin Temple in 1982.

 The birthplace of martial arts

Shaolin Temple has a long tradition of martial arts. Shaolin monks began practicing martial arts at the end of the 6th century, largely because Shaolin was located in a strategically important area, so the monks found themselves constantly under attack or in the thick of a war. In order to defend themselves the monks gradually developed a unique style of martial arts.

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