Zhongyue Temple is not only the place to offer sacrifices to the god of the mountain, but also an important showcase for Taoist architecture. It is said that the founder of Taoism, Zhang Daolin, practiced his beliefs on the slopes of Mount Songshan for nine years. Subsequently, many famous Taoists have held ceremonies there. The Siyue Temples, comprising Dongyue Temple, Nanyue Temple, Xiyue Temple and Beiyue Temple, are located around Junji Gate in a clockwise formation. Ancient people called Zhongyue Temple the palace of the god of earth. Since earth was the most revered among the five primary elements (metal, wood, water, fire and earth), they also regarded Zhongyue as the head of the five famous mountains. The five temples stand for the religious idea that “five mountains coexist and the five primary elements form integrity.”

Shaolin Temple

     The architectural complex of Shaolin Temple includes Chuzu Temple and the pagoda forest. Shaolin Temple is named for its location within a dense forest (lin) beside Mount Shaoshi (shao) to the west of the Songshan Mountain range. Established in 495, Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei designed the temple to accommodate the Indian Buddhist master Batuo. Some time after, another Indian sage called Bodhidharma came to Shaolin where he began to develop Zen Buddhism.

      Of course, the temple complex is also famous for cultivating Shaolin Kung fu, the biggest school in Han martial arts boasting more than 700 skills. Zen Buddhism was a discipline aimed at helping a person find his true self and progress towards ultimate enlightenment. Kung Fu was actually designed to complement this process, focusing on eliminating afflictions through physical discipline, and helping improve overall health. This spiritual element distinguishes it from other martial arts.

     In recent years, Shaolin Temple has introduced a series of reforms to improve its martial arts, with Shaolin Kung Fu undergoing careful research and classification. Modern developments are best embodied by the world famous Shaolin Monk Team, which gives performances around the globe. One of their newly created routines is entitled “Maxim,” and features 16 monks mimicking the strength and spirit of animals such as the tiger and the snake in order to illustrate the intertwined relationship between humans and other creatures. The performance is wordless, set to music and choreographed lighting. The abbot Shi Yongxin explains that, “Different nations have their own ways to represent the tenets of Zen Buddhism. We interpret them using modern elements, and this is the essence of the Buddhist saying ‘all rivers run into sea.’”

     Buddhism originated in India, but Zen Buddhism is mostly a Chinese cultural product. It became one of the most influential Buddhist sects and still enjoys immense popularity worldwide thanks to the simplicity of its teachings. Compared with other Buddhist sects, which have become rigid in the process of spreading and too often overemphasize studying words instead of cultivating spirit，Zen advocates learning “not by written words” and stresses “seeing your heart directly.”

The rich variety and cultural connotations of the historic monuments of “The Center of Heaven and Earth” are a true treasure trove. As the representatives of ancient Chinese ritual, religious, scientific and academic architecture, the complex is a record of the construction technology and art of ancient China which embodies the unique cosmic viewpoint and aesthetic standards of ancient people. It offers a tantalizing glimpse of traditional thinking, and presents the richness and complexity of the Chinese cultural legacy.