The Chan Buddhist Monastery: History and Modern-day Evolution

In 477 C.E., a temple was commissioned by the Northern Wei dynasty on Shaoshi Mountain, Henan Province, China. This temple, under the leadership of the foreign monk Bodhidharma (known as Fuuo in China), became the birthplace of Chan (Zen) Buddhism and developed into the globally renowned Shaolin Monastery. Bodhidharmas influence in Chinese Buddhism sparked the growth of the faith, attracting millions of followers and establishing Chan Buddhism as a major cultural and religious movement in East Asia.