Tongxing. Henan Zhengzhou ~ Shaolin Temple
Shaolin Temple, charged 30 yuan.
The journey from Anyang was smooth, but the traffic increased significantly after entering Dengfeng City. Dengfeng is under the jurisdiction of Zhengzhou, but it is located in the middle of Zhengzhou and Luoyang, forming a triangle. Most of the travel routes from Zhengzhou are half-day Shaolin Temple and half-day Longmen Grottoes, which was also the case for group tours more than ten years ago. I decided to get off the highway early and take the national road, which was much smoother despite the traffic lights. According to the design, I went straight to the Shaolin Ecological Parking Lot, which is very close to the Pagoda Forest, but the traffic control did not allow me to go. After a friendly communication, I was still not allowed to go, but the friendly staff pointed out the way to another parking lot. From this parking lot, there is a shuttle bus to the front gate of Shaolin Temple. I thought this service was considerate, and I could understand the scenic spot even if I had to take a detour. When I arrived at the parking lot, I found that there was a bus, and I had to pay 30 yuan for the bus fare.
The snow from a few days ago seemed to have melted, which meant that mud and water were intertwined, and the bus accurately drove to the place with the most mud and water, ensuring that the shoes were wet for 30 yuan. A few steps up from the drop-off point is the mountain gate of Shaolin Temple. The two archways in front and behind are inscribed with "Songshan Shaolin" and "The First Famous Temple in the World". With the blessing of martial arts and novels, the reputation of Shaolin Temple is greater than that of the temples in the four famous Buddhist mountains, so it is not an exaggeration to say that it is the first famous temple.
I bought an 80 yuan ticket and walked along the mountain road from the mountain gate. Shaolin Temple is located in Songshan Mountain, which is mainly divided into two parts: Shaoshi Mountain and Taishi Mountain. Shaolin Temple is located at the foot of Shaoshi Mountain, while the main peak of Songshan Mountain, Junji Peak, is located on Taishi Mountain. However, the fame of Taishi Mountain is far less than that of Shaoshi Mountain, just like the martial arts of Songshan Sect cannot beat Shaolin Sect. After entering the mountain gate of Shaolin Temple, I first passed by the venue for Shaolin martial arts performances. Shaolin Temple is famous all over the world, and it is also related to martial arts. The movie "Shaolin Temple" in the 1980s, with the story background of "monks saving the Tang king", showed Shaolin Kung Fu on the big screen, and the "Shepherd Song" of "Sunrise in Songshan Ao, Morning Bell Frightens Birds" was also widely known. The martial arts performances in the scenic area are free of charge, but they start on the hour. Visitors who miss the opening can only queue for the next show, and it is normal to stand at the door for an hour.
Due to the tight schedule and lack of understanding of martial arts, I had no patience to queue in the cold weather, so I went straight to the temple. After about ten minutes, I arrived at the second mountain gate of Shaolin Temple, which is the real Shaolin Temple, also known as the Permanent Residence. Shaolin Temple was built during the Northern Wei Dynasty by Emperor Tuoba Hong, and was named Shaolin Temple, meaning "in the forest under Shaoshi Mountain". Tuoba Hong was the grandson of Emperor Tuoba Jun, who agreed to let Master Tanyao build the Yungang Grottoes in Datong, and later changed the Tuoba family name to Yuan, promoting the integration of Xianbei and the Central Plains, and became Emperor Xiaowen Yuan Hong. More than thirty years later, a high monk from India came here to establish Zen Buddhism. This person was called Bodhidharma, who was not only proficient in Buddhism, but also said to be highly skilled in martial arts, creating the seventy-two unique skills of Shaolin, of course, this is according to martial arts novels.
The three characters on the plaque of Shaolin Temple are said to have been written by Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty. It is also said that during the Republic of China, the warlord Shi Yousan set fire to the temple, and the original plaque written by Emperor Kangxi was destroyed, leaving only "Shaolin" without the word "Temple". It is also said that after the liberation, the temple was also damaged to a certain extent during a special period, and it was not until the reconstruction that a suitable plaque could not be found, so Mr. Pu Chu imitated and wrote a "Temple" character. These are all uncertain, but if you look closely at the three characters now, you can clearly feel the difference in the strength of the strokes.
Most of the halls in Shaolin Temple were built later, but they were restored according to previous records, which is very common in today's scenic spots. The Permanent Residence has seven courtyards in front and back. The first main hall after entering the second mountain gate is the Hall of Heavenly Kings, with a forest of steles on both sides of the corridor in the courtyard. Mr. Jin Yong's calligraphy stele is also on it. It is said that the depiction of Shaolin Temple in "Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils" was too bad, and this stele was also considered to restore the influence; the second main hall is the Mahavira Hall, the core hall of every temple; the third main hall is the Sutra Library, originally the library of Shaolin Temple, now a place for chanting and praying, where Qiao Feng and Murong Fu found their fathers; the fourth main hall is the Abbot's Courtyard, where the abbot no longer lives; the fifth main hall is the Snow Pavilion, where the second patriarch of Zen Buddhism, Huike, visited Bodhidharma to seek the Dharma and waited outside the door for a night, with heavy snow falling over his calves, but still could not see him. In excitement, he cut off his left arm. It is unknown whether Bodhidharma was moved by his perseverance or frightened by his self-mutilation, but Huike successfully learned, and learning skills requires a knife; the sixth main hall is the Hall of Western Saints, where there are pits for martial monks to practice stepping; the seventh courtyard is temporarily closed, and from the gap in the locked courtyard door, this place is idle, and it is a good parking lot.
On both sides of the Permanent Residence, there is a Shaolin pharmacy, but I don't know if there is any golden sore medicine. After leaving the temple and walking a few steps up the mountain, there is the Pagoda Forest, the resting place of some eminent monks and great virtues in history. The construction period can be distinguished from the reliefs on the pagodas, as some reliefs are lotus flowers and some are high-speed rail. In the other direction, there are the First Patriarch's Nunnery and the Second Patriarch's Nunnery, which are places to commemorate Bodhidharma and Huike, and are far from the Permanent Residence, so proceed with caution according to personal physical strength. Return to the temple by the original route and take the extra paid bus. After getting off, drive out of the scenic area and return to the hotel at the foot of Songshan Mountain. The road is still under control. Go to Heshun Building near the hotel for dinner, a portion of stewed mutton and a green vegetable, enough for two people to eat. The mutton in Henan is really good. Eat early and rest early, and go to the key point of this trip, Junji Peak of Taishi Mountain, the next day.