emperor xiaowen is believed to be the founder of china’s shaolin temple.
emperor xiaowen is believed to be the founder of china’s shaolin temple.
who is believed to be the founder of china’s shaolin temple?
emperor xiaowen
Na
Na
as the center of chan buddhism, the shaolin temple attracted many emperors’ attention in china’s history. during the tang dynasty 618-907 ad empress wu zetian (ad 625-705) paid several visits to the shaolin temple discussing chan philosophy with high monk tan zong. according to legend, emperor taizong granted the shaolin temple extra land and a special "imperial dispensation" to consume meat and alcohol during the tang dynasty. if true, this would have made shaolin the only temple in china that did not prohibit alcohol. regardless of historical veracity, these rituals are not practiced today. this legend is not corroborated in any period documents, such as the shaolin stele erected in 728. the stele does not list any such imperial dispensation as reward for the monks' assistance during the campaign against wang shichong, only land and a water mill are granted. the founder of the yuan dynasty, kublai khan (ad 1215-1294) ordered all buddhist temples in china to be led by the shaolin temple; eight princes during the ming dynasty turned themselves into shaolin monks.
shaolin monastery