Do you think South Shaolin is in Quanzhou or Putian?
The three southern Shaolin temples in Fujian are all located in coastal cities, namely Quanzhou South Shaolin Temple, Fuqing South Shaolin Temple and Putian South Shaolin Temple. Among them, Fuqing South Shaolin Temple has the weakest sense of existence, which may be related to insufficient publicity in the past. The South Shaolin Temple in Quanzhou and Putian are the most controversial and highest-pitched, so which one is the authentic South Shaolin Temple?
Let's start with the history of the three major temples in South Shaolin.
Quanzhou South Shaolin Temple: also known as Tuo Zen Temple, Zhenguo, located at the southern foot of Qingyuan Mountain in Quanzhou. According to legend, Zhikong, one of the thirteen stick monks who saved the Tang King, was originally from Fujian. Quanzhou South Shaolin Temple was founded in the Tang Dynasty and flourished in the Song Dynasty. By the end of the Qing Dynasty, it was desolate and dilapidated. The biggest deficiency of Quanzhou South Shaolin Temple is the lack of strong historical evidence to explain the relationship between this temple and Songshan Shaolin Temple. Tang Hao, a famous Shaolin scholar in modern times, put forward the view of "Seven True Shaolin" in Textual Research on the Secrets of Shaolin Boxing, saying that there were six Shaolin temples built all over the country in the Yuan Dynasty, and the other five did not exist, only the South Shaolin Temple in Quanzhou was kept. Quanzhou is known as the Southeast Buddhist country. The ancients said that "this place used to be a Buddhist country, and the streets were full of saints."
Fuqing South Shaolin Temple: The origin of Fuqing South Shaolin Temple is exactly the same as that of Quanzhou South Shaolin Temple. It was also after the thirteen stick monks of Shaolin Temple saved the Tang King that Emperor Taizong Li Shimin ordered the establishment of ten branches of Shaolin Temple all over the country, and Fuqing South Shaolin Temple was one of the top ten. Moreover, the cultural relics of Fuqing South Shaolin Temple are also rich in evidence, including inscriptions such as Shaolin Academy and Shaolin, as well as thousands of cultural relics such as porcelain, bronze mirrors and monk's tomb towers. The place where Fuqing South Shaolin Temple is located is called Shaolin Natural Village, and the mountain where it is located is also called Songshan Mountain. There are too many similarities between Fuqing South Shaolin Temple and Songshan Shaolin Temple. However, due to the lack of effective publicity, the visibility of Fuqing South Shaolin Temple is lower than the other two South Shaolin Temple.
Putian South Shaolin Temple: Among the three southern Shaolin temples in Fujian, Putian South Shaolin Temple has the longest history. Its predecessor, Linquan Garden, was built in the first year of Chen Yongding in the Southern Dynasties (557), and its origin was also one of the top ten sub-temples in China built by the decree of thirteen monks to save the Queen of the Tang Dynasty. As the South Shaolin Temple in Putian has the longest history, and was recognized by the 29th abbot of Songshan Shaolin Temple, Master Dechan, and the late President of Chinese Buddhist Association, Zhao Puchu, the South Shaolin Temple in Putian was rebuilt in 1998, with the words "South Shaolin Temple is under the Jiulian Peak in Putian, Fujian" written by Master Dechan and inscribed by Zhao Puchu layman, which completely overshadowed the other two South Shaolin temples.
The three Shaolin temples in the south have a common feature: Zen and martial arts are integrated, and it is their responsibility to promote Shaolin Kung Fu.
Shaolin kungfu is extensive and profound. Since ancient times, there has been a saying that "southern boxing is northern leg". As the most important development area of southern Shaolin Kung Fu, the three southern Shaolin temples in Fujian have won the essence of the combination of Shaolin Kung Fu and Zen Buddhism, and there are many essences of southern Shaolin Kung Fu. For example, the "36 treasures" traditional boxing of Putian South Shaolin Temple, as well as heming's 28 Nights, Flying Crane Boxing, Wing Chun Boxing and other Shaolin Boxing were carried forward after the revival of Putian South Shaolin Temple. Putian is a famous hometown of martial arts. Since Wu Zetian started the martial arts examination in Tang Dynasty, Putian has produced 12 martial arts champions. South Shaolin Temple in Putian is the birthplace of Nanquan and the center of martial arts activities in the southeast coast.
The South Shaolin Temple in Quanzhou bears the tenacious and simple spirit of the coastal people, and martial arts is also successful. During the Jingyan period of the Southern Song Dynasty, Pu Shougeng, a thousand monks in South Shaolin Temple, rebelled against the Yuan Dynasty. During the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty, the famous anti-Japanese soldier Yu also returned Shaolin Temple's swordsmanship and stick skills to Songshan Shaolin Temple. During the Qianlong period, Hong Xiguan, a master of martial arts, went to South Shaolin Temple in Quanzhou to learn from Zen Master Shan Zhi, introduced Shaolin Boxing to Guangdong, and studied under the famous martial arts master Huang Feihong. South Shaolin boxing was later spread to Nanyang, America and other places. Quanzhou South Shaolin Boxing was the center of China Shaolin Boxing in Ming and Qing Dynasties.
The combination of Zen and Wushu is an important feature of Shaolin Kung Fu. In the past, Shaolin Kung Fu was not only to keep fit, but also to defend the country and defend the country at an important juncture and resist foreign aggression. Take Zen as the foundation, strengthen the body with martial arts, realize the Tao in Zen and improve in martial arts.
I think it is of little significance to argue about the orthodoxy of the three schools in South Shaolin Temple. It can be said that the three southern Shaolin temples in Fujian have inherited the characteristics of the combination of Zen and agriculture and Zen and martial arts that Songshan Shaolin Temple has always attached importance to. Moreover, in the long development process, Fujian South Shaolin Temple has formed its own Shaolin culture, which complements Shaolin Temple in Songshan, the ancestral temple of Shaolin, and embodies the Shaolin spirit of the new era!
Whether South Shaolin is located in Quanzhou or Putian has always been a controversial topic between the two places. After argument, the construction and development of South Shaolin in the two places have begun to take shape.
Quanzhou has always had the legend of blazing temple. Now the South Shaolin Temple is located in the north of Shaolin Road and at the east foot of Qingyuan Mountain in Quanzhou. According to legend, it was built by Zhikong, one of the thirteen stick monks who saved the Tang king. Quanzhou South Shaolin was founded in the Tang Dynasty and flourished in the Song Dynasty. It has a history of thousands of years. After several ups and downs, the historical sites still exist.
1992, Quanzhou Shaolin Temple was rebuilt. In 2004, Jin Yong's trip to Quanzhou wrote the following inscription for Shaolin Temple: "Shaolin Wushu has a long history and spread to the south." Later, the South Shaolin in Mr. Jin Yong's new martial arts novels was changed to Quanzhou South Shaolin.
Putian South Shaolin Temple is located in Jiulian Mountain Village, Xitianwei Town, Licheng District. South Shaolin Temple, formerly known as Linquan Temple, was rebuilt in 1989.
In fact, there is also a South Shaolin Temple in Fujian, which is located in Shaolin Natural Village, East Jang Jin, Fuqing City.
The South Shaolin Temple in the above three places was rebuilt in modern times, and there are different opinions that it is authentic and has its own experience. But in terms of fame and scale, it is still the South Shaolin Temple in Quanzhou.
South Shaolin Temple is located in Jiulian Mountain, Xitianwei Town, Licheng District, Putian City, about 17 km away from the urban area.
In the early Tang Dynasty, because the thirteen stick monks saved the Tang priest and his disciples, Tang Gaozong specially ordered the abbot of Tanzong in the North Shaolin Temple to build the Shaolin Temple in the South. At the beginning of the Qing Dynasty, Shaolin Temple was razed to the ground by the imperial court because of its anti-Qing and regaining sight. It was not until 1986 that archaeologists discovered this site and rebuilt it in the 1990s that South Shaolin Temple was presented to the world.
Where is the real position of South Shaolin Temple about history? There are different opinions among the people. Some people say it's in Quanzhou, others say it's not far from Putian. Now there is Shaolin Temple, but Quanzhou is called Shaolin Temple and Putian is called South Shaolin Temple.
But now there is nothing worth archaeology in Putian South Shaolin Temple! All of them are new, except for a few stone troughs that look old. Is this something that can be proved?
Where is the original site of South Shaolin Temple? I think the local history must be recorded, because it was burned less than 300 years ago. The civil disputes between Quanzhou and Putian are only for some benefits! As for where? The film about South Shaolin Temple in 1990s has a clear answer.
Personal opinion, thank you for reading!