A few hundred meters west of the Shaolin Temple is the Pagoda Forest, the burial site for generations of Shaolin monks since the Tang Dynasty. It is also the largest pagoda forest in the country. The tombs come in various shapes and designs, including square, rectangular, hexagonal, octagonal, and circular. The size and height of these pagodas vary, primarily determined by the monk's lifetime achievements, reputation, and contributions to Buddhism.
The Cangjing Pavilion of Shaolin Temple, also known as the Dharma Hall, is located on the central axis behind the Mahavira Hall of Shaolin Temple. It is a place for high monks to preach and store Buddhist scriptures. The pavilion originally housed the stone of Bodhidharma facing the wall, ritual instruments, and over 5,000 volumes of Buddhist scriptures, including the Ming Dynasty's Great Canon. In 1928, the pavilion was burned down by Shi Yousan, destroying all the scriptures, martial arts books, and the shadow stone of Bodhidharma inside, leaving only the foundation and 14 stone pillars. The current Cangjing Pavilion of Shaolin Temple houses tens of thousands of volumes of scriptures, including the Chinese Great Canon, Longzang, Taisho Tripitaka, Goryeo Tripitaka, and other classics. According to inscriptions, this pavilion was built during the Zhizheng period (1341-1368) of the Yuan Dynasty. The current Cangjing Pavilion was redesigned and rebuilt on the original site between 1992 and 1993 based on pre-destruction data.
In ancient times, the Mahavira Hall was also known as the 'Hall of the Three Buddhas' or the 'Glazed Hall'. It is usually abbreviated as the Main Hall, Central Hall, or Treasure Hall, and serves as the center for Buddhist activities in the entire temple. The newly constructed Mahavira Hall in Shaolin Temple was designed and built on its original site. Inside the hall, the statues of the Three Buddhas are enshrined. In the center is Shakyamuni of the Saha World, flanked by the Bodhisattvas Manjushri and Samantabhadra, collectively known as the 'Three Saints of Huayan'. On the left side is the Medicine Buddha of the Eastern Pure Glazed World, also known as the 'Great King of Medicine', flanked by the Bodhisattvas Sunlight and Moonlight. On the right side is Amitabha of the Western Pure Land, flanked by the Bodhisattvas Avalokiteshvara and Mahasthamaprapta, collectively known as the 'Three Saints of the West'.
Sanhuangzhai Scenic Area
Located on the western slope of Shaoshi Mountain in Songshan, it is adjacent to the Shaolin Temple Scenic Area to the north and belongs to the Shaolin Temple Scenic Area. Sanhuangzhai is renowned for its unique ecological natural environment and geological landforms. It is famous for its peculiar peaks, dangerous paths, strange rocks, and beautiful scenery. The famous Ming Dynasty traveler Xu Xiake once wrote a poem: 'Songshan is the most mysterious place in the world, Shaoshi is uniquely dangerous and peculiar. If you haven't been to Sanhuangzhai, you haven't truly visited Shaolin.'
Shaolin Temple Martial Arts Hall
Located about 700 meters east of Shaolin Temple, the Shaolin Temple Martial Arts Hall offers daily martial arts performances, typically one show per hour, each lasting half an hour. There are two types of martial arts performances: one is an outdoor performance by students from local martial arts schools, and the other is the only venue in the Songshan Shaolin Scenic Area dedicated to performing Shaolin Kung Fu—the Shaolin Martial Arts Hall.
