The Holy land of the Shaolin

The Empty Appearance Temple or the Temple of Emptiness (chin.: kongxiangsi 空相寺) was called many names such as the Peaceful Forest Temple (chin.: dinglinsi 定林寺), the Western Mountain Temple (chin.: xishansi 西山寺) and Bear’s ear Temple (chin.: xiongersi 熊耳寺). The Emptiness Temple lies down on the foothills of Bear’s ear mountain (chin.: xiongershan 熊耳山), within the boundaries of Li country (chin.: licunxiang 李村乡), in Sanmenxia city (chin.: Sanmenxiashi 三门峡市) at Shan county (chin.: shanxian 陕县) of Henan Province (chin.: henansheng 河南省).

It was constructed during the Yongping era (chin.: yongpingnianjian 永平年间) 58 – 75, of the Eastern Han Dynasty (chin.: donghan 东汉) and has more than 1900 years history, as it is along with White Horse Temple the earliest Buddhist temples in China.

The Emptiness Temple was known as “Holy Land of the Shan county, under the blue Heaven” (chin.: shanjunzhi shengdi tianxiazhi minglan 陕郡之圣地天下之名蓝) with fine reputation. Together with Shaolin Temple (chin.: 少林寺), Baima Temple (chin.: 白马寺), and Xiangguo Temple (chin.: 相国寺) were the four big prominent monasteries (chin.: zhongzhou sida mingsi 中州四大名寺). At 526, during Southern and Northern Dynasties period (chin.: nanabeichao 南北朝 420-589), the Indian Buddhist Patriarch Bodhidharma (chin.: putidamo 菩提达摩) went to China, who became famous by his 9 years contemplation of facing wall in a niche on Song Mountain (chin.: songshan 嵩山). He is considered the founder of Chan sect (chin.: chanzong chuzhu 禅宗初祖) of Chinese Buddhism for the next generations. 

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