The Holy land of the Shaolin

Buddhism (chin.: Fójiào 佛教) originated in India and many Indian Monks travelled to China to teach. But also many Buddhist Pilgrims travelled from China to famous Buddhist universities like Nalanda in Northern India to study the Scriptures, walking home along the Northern or Southern “Silk Road” (chin.: Sīlù 丝路).

Various Chinese emperors had sent special envoys to India to invite Buddhist monks (chin.: sēng 僧) to come to China to teach Buddhism, which was regarded as an educational system (chin.: xuézhì 学制), and not as a religion (chin.: jiào 教).

An eminent Indian monk came to China in the fifth century right through India and China, crossing the huge barrier of the Himalaya (chin.: Xǐmǎlāyǎ 喜马拉雅) mountain range, teaching Xiao Sheng Buddhism (chin.: Xiǎoshèng 小乘). When Emperor Xiaowendi (chin.: xiàowéndì 孝文帝), reading some official reports about him (something which let us understand that he met him also) he decide to enacted an edict to establish the Shaolin Si (chin.: Shàolínsì 少林寺) which meansYoung Forest Temple) for this Unknown Great Buddhist Monk of the west.

Emperor Xiaowendi really influenced by The Venerable Master, he brought relief to his people. Taxes remained light. Land was more equitably distributed. Disputes were mediated. Mutilations as punishment for crimes were replaced by imprisonment. The sick, orphaned and destitute were taken care of. With the Buddhist compassion for all living things having influence in government, animal sacrifices in religious rituals were prohibited and declined.

But how a Indian Monk, became the Arhat (chin.: Āluóhàn 阿羅漢 , short: Luohan). of the newly built Shaolinsi at Shaoshi Mountain (chin.: shǎoshìshān 少室山) of Songshan (chin.: Sōngshān 嵩山) Range.

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