Step into the theater of 'Southern Shaolin' and cross the millennium old holy land of Zen and martial arts, allowing us to understand the rise and fall history of Southern Shaolin and immerse ourselves in the charm of its intangible cultural heritage martial arts!
During the Sui and Tang dynasties, the monks and soldiers of Shaolin Temple in Songshan assisted Emperor Taizong in pacifying the world and were awarded the title of "Monk Soldiers". During the Zhenguan period, Abbot Tanzong sent Dao Guang to lead 500 monk soldiers southward to Fujian to suppress pirates. Emperor Taizong ordered the construction of the Southern Shaolin Temple on Jiulian Mountain in Putian. Amidst the clouds and mist of the tea mountains, the monks lived on the mountain, with equal emphasis on agriculture and Zen, and self-sufficient cultivation. On weekdays, he practices martial arts and meditation to strengthen his body. He created the Southern Shaolin boxing technique, which is known as the "Southern Boxing and Northern Leg" along with the leg skills of Northern Shaolin, and has become the center of Southern martial arts.
During the Jiajing period, Japanese pirates were rampant, and more than a hundred monks and soldiers from Southern Shaolin rushed to the coast to resist them. Monk soldiers wielding iron bars, brave and skilled in battle, have repeatedly defeated Japanese pirates and destroyed Japanese nests. In the early Qing Dynasty, the Southern Shaolin Temple was burned down and the monks were martyred. Temples are destroyed, martial souls are not extinguished, monks and soldiers are scattered among the people, art is passed down to disciples, and Nanquan is passed down from generation to generation.
A thousand year old temple has gone through ups and downs. In 1986, the temple ruins were rediscovered, and the stone grooves of the Song Dynasty's "monk soldiers" proved their glory. The temple has been rebuilt, and Zhao Puchu inscribed the title "South Shaolin Temple". The spirit of Zen and martial arts is like the clouds and forests of Jiulian Mountain, shining forever on the precious land.
