Editing Shaolin Monastery (section)

===Northern Wei and Northern Zhou dynasties===
[[Batuo]], also referred to in the Chinese sources as Fotuo and in Sanskrit as Buddhabhadra, had enjoyed the sponsorship of the [[Emperor Xiaowen of Northern Wei]] since arriving in Pingcheng via the [[Silk Road]], around the year 490.<ref>Wei shu, 114.3040; Ware, trans., "Wei Shou on Buddhism", pp. 155–156; Shahar 2008</ref> [[Yang Xuanzhi]], in the ''Record of the Buddhist Monasteries of [[Luoyang]]'' (AD 547), and Li Xian, in the ''Ming Yitongzhi'' (1461), concur with Daoxuan's location and attribution. The ''Jiaqing Chongxiu Yitongzhi'' (1843) specifies that this monastery, located in the province of Henan, was built in the twentieth year of the ''Taihe'' era of the Northern Wei dynasty, that is, the monastery was built in AD 495.

Thanks to Batuo, Shaolin became an important center for the study and translation of original Buddhist scriptures. It also became a place of gathering for esteemed Buddhist masters. Historical sources on the early origins of Shaolin kung fu show that at this time, martial arts practice was existent in the temple.<ref>Lu Zhouxiang 2019</ref> Batuo's teaching was continued by his two disciples, Sengchou ({{lang-zh|labels=no|c=僧稠|p=sēngchóu}}, 480–560) and Huiguang ({{lang-zh|labels=no|c=慧光|p=huìguāng}}, 487–536).

In the first year of the Yongping era (506), Indian monks Lenamoti ({{lang-zh|labels=no|c=勒那摩提}}, in Sanskrit: ''Ratnamati'') and Putiliuzhi ({{lang-zh|labels=no|c=菩提流支}}, in Sanskrit: ''Bodhiruci'') came to Shaolin to set up a scripture translation hall. Together with Huiguang, they translated master Shiqin's ({{lang-zh|labels=no|c=世親|p=shìqīn}}; in Sanskrit: ''Vasubandhu'') commentary on the Ten Stages Sutra (Sanskrit: ''Daśabhūmika Sūtra''; simplified Chinese: {{lang-zh|labels=no|c=十地经}}), an early, influential Mahayana Buddhist scripture. After that, Huiguang promoted the Vinaya in Four Parts ({{lang-zh|labels=no|c=四分律|p=sì fēn lǜ}}; Sanskrit: ''Dharmagupta-Vinaya''), which formed the theoretical basis of the Luzong ({{lang-zh|labels=no|c=律宗|p=lǜzōng}}) School of Buddhism, formed during the Tang Dynasty by Dao Xuan (596–667).

In the third year of the Xiaochang era (527) of [[Emperor Xiaoming of Northern Wei]], [[Bodhidharma]] ({{lang-zh|labels=no|c=达摩|p=dá mó}}), the 28th patriarch of Mahayana Buddhism in India, came to the Shaolin Temple. The Indian arrived as a Chan Buddhist missionary and traveled for decades throughout China before, settling on Mount Song in the 520s.<ref>Shahar 2008; Shi Daoxuan 2014; Lu Zhouxiang 2019</ref> Bodhidharma's teachings were primarily based on Lankavatara Sutra, which contains the conversation between Gautama Buddha and Bodhisattva Mahamatti, who is considered the first patriarch of Chan tradition.

Using the teachings of Batuo and his disciples as a foundation, Bodhidharma introduced Chan Buddhism, and the Shaolin Temple community gradually grew to become the center of Chinese Chan Buddhism. Bodhidharma's teaching was transmitted to his disciple Huike, who the legend says cut off his arm to show his determination and devotion to the teachings of his master. Huike was forced to leave the temple during the persecution of Buddhism and Daoism (574–580) by [[Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou]]. In 580, [[Emperor Jing of Northern Zhou]] restored the temple and renamed it Zhi'ao Temple ({{lang-zh|labels=no|c=陟岵寺|p=zhìhù sì}}).{{Citation needed|date=February 2023}}

The idea that Bodhidharma founded martial arts at the Shaolin Temple was spread in the 20th century. However, martial arts historians have shown this legend stems from a 17th-century [[qigong]] manual known as the ''[[Yijin Jing]]''.{{sfn|Shahar |2008|pp=165–173}} The oldest available copy was published in 1827.{{sfn|Matsuda|1986}} The composition of the text itself has been dated to 1624.{{sfn|Lin|1996|p=183}} Even then, the association of Bodhidharma with martial arts only became widespread as a result of the 1904–1907 serialization of the novel ''The Travels of Lao Ts'an'' in ''Illustrated Fiction Magazine'':{{sfn|Henning|1994}}
{{blockquote|One of the most recently invented and familiar of the Shaolin historical narratives is a story that claims that the Indian monk Bodhidharma, the supposed founder of Chinese Chan (Zen) Buddhism, introduced boxing into the monastery as a form of exercise around a.d. 525. This story first appeared in a popular novel, ''The Travels of Lao T'san'', published as a series in a literary magazine in 1907. This story was quickly picked up by others and spread rapidly through publication in a popular contemporary boxing manual, Secrets of Shaolin Boxing Methods, and the first Chinese physical culture history published in 1919. As a result, it has enjoyed vast oral circulation and is one of the most "sacred" of the narratives shared within Chinese and Chinese-derived martial arts. That this story is clearly a twentieth-century invention is confirmed by writings going back at least 250 years earlier, which mention both Bodhidharma and martial arts but make no connection between the two.{{sfn|Henning|Green|2001|p=129}}}}

Other scholars see an earlier connection between Da Mo and the Shaolin Monastery. The monk and his disciples are said to have lived at a spot about a mile from the Shaolin Temple that is now a small nunnery.<ref>{{cite book |last=Ferguson |first=Andy |title=Tracking Bodhidharma: A Journey to the Heart of Chinese Culture |page=267}}</ref>
In the 6th century, around AD 547, The Record of the Buddhist Monasteries says Da Mo visited the area near [[Mount Song]].<ref>Louyang Quilan Ji</ref>{{sfn|Shahar|2008|p=13}} In AD 645, The Continuation of the Biographies of Eminent Monks describes him as being active in the Mount Song region.{{sfn|Shahar|2008|p=13}}<ref>Xu Gaoseng Zhuan</ref> Around AD 710, Da Mo is identified specifically with the Shaolin Temple (Precious Record of Dharma's Transmission or Chuanfa Baoji){{sfn|Shahar|2008|p=13}}<ref>Record of Dharma's Transmission of Chuanfa Baoji</ref> and writes of his sitting facing a wall in meditation for many years. It also speaks of Huike's many trials in his efforts to receive instruction from Da Mo. In the 11th century (1004), a work embellishes the Da Mo legends with great detail. A [[Shaolin Monastery Stele|stele inscription at the Shaolin Monastery]] dated to 728 AD reveals Da Mo residing on Mount Song.{{sfn|Shahar|2008|p=14}} Another stele from AD 798 speaks of [[Dazu Huike|Huike]] seeking instruction from Da Mo. Another engraving dated to 1209 depicts the barefoot saint holding a shoe, according to the ancient legend of Da Mo. A plethora of 13th- and 14th-century steles feature Da Mo in various roles. One 13th-century image shows him riding a fragile stalk across the Yangtze River.{{sfn|Shahar|2008|p=15}} In 1125, a special temple was constructed in his honor at the Shaolin Monastery.{{sfn|Shahar|2008|p=16}}