The Heroes of the Hongmen Society, Volume 1

Mount Song in Henan Province, known in ancient times as Central Peak, is a vast and winding range with scenery of great variety. It has two main peaks, Taishi and Shaoshi, both especially imposing. During the reign of Emperor Wu of the Liang dynasty, the Zen master Bodhidharma traveled east from Persia and landed in Panyu, Guangdong. He planted his staff near Shunmu Bridge, at the junction of Guangzhou’s Upper and Lower Xiguan districts, a place known as the Buddha’s Western Arrival. Hearing that Emperor Wu was a devout Buddhist, Bodhidharma traveled north to Jinling and spoke at length with the emperor about Zen. But they found little common ground. Disappointed, Bodhidharma set off again and wandered through the Central Plains until he reached the foot of Shaoshi Peak. Enchanted by its magnificent landscape, he built a hut there and faced a wall in meditation for nine years. He founded Shaolin Temple and passed on Zen and martial arts to his disciples, thus beginning the history of Shaolin Temple.