Shaolin Temple Restoration Planned
Posted at Feb 24, 04 in Shaolin Temple News

Shaolin Temple in Songshan, Henan Province, which is more than 1,500 years old, will undergo a large-scale restoration starting at the end of this month. Included in the restoration projects will be the Bodhisattva Nunnery, the Thousand Buddha Palace, more than 180 authentic pieces of artwork on pillars produced by several different dynasties, and 3,000 gingko trees in front of the Emperor Palace.

The temple has suffered destruction at the hands of war many, many times, and this restoration is an attempt to return Shaolin Temple to its original splendor, said Shaolin Temple abbot Shi Yongxin, while speaking with the Beijing Evening Paper. He further noted that Shaolin temple was established during the Beiwei Period, which was named so after a kingdom that existed during the Epoch of Warring States, during the third century A.D.

Reports indicate that at present, while the restoration project of Shaolin Temple has been approved, the details of the construction required to complete it are still being assessed. It is estimated that restoration of the temple will begin in earnest at the end of February. The plan is to have most of the project finished by the end of October. The area being restored will cover more than 30,000 square meters, encompassing seven rows of buildings along Shaolin Temple¡¯s central axis.

Shi Yongxin noted that Shaolin Temple, being one of no more than ten Song Dynasty edifices left standing, has been constructed in a truly grand fashion, but painted delicately. More than 180 pillars from the Beiqi, Tang, Song, Jin, Yuan, Ming, and Ching dynasties are kept in the Stele Porch, the Stele Forest, and in front of the temple¡¯s individual palaces.

These pillars demonstrate remarkable skills in the arts of calligraphy and carving.

Another key object of the restoration is the 320-square-meter mural painting in the Thousand Buddha Palace. The paintings in this mural are subtle, revealing 500 life-like Arhat figures. Known as the Treasure of the Temple, the colors and lines making up this mural are still clear, despite it having been painted several hundred years ago, during the Wanli Period of the Ming Dynasty. Experts will ensure that the mural paintings are protected from harm during the restoration.

While the inside of Shaolin Temple is being renovated on a large scale, the area surrounding will be renovated as well. Since the beginning of last year, illegitimate tenants have been evicted from the vicinity of the temple, including several squatters and unregistered martial arts schools, said Shi Yongxin. He added that the current plan for this area is to continue cleaning the empty 450,000-square-meter grounds, and then completely replant and landscape the area. This project is estimated to be finished at the same time as completion of Shaolin Temple¡¯s inner restorations.

Structures around the temple which were built or modified with styles different from the temple¡¯s overall form will be restored as well, said Shi Yongxin. The task of removing the Shaolin Police offices from the Bodhisattva Nunnery, for example, has already been completed. This space was originally a hall specialized for receiving officials, constructed during the Yongzheng Period of the Ching Dynasty. It was built as a small four-section compound, a series of traditional Chinese houses made of grey bricks and tiles, all built around a courtyard. After the police moved in, the Bodhisattva Nunnery Main Palace and West Palace walls were painted brown, and iron bars were added to the original doors and windows. As a result, when considering the priorities of the restoration, Bodhisattva Nunnery was placed first. Kuan-yin Nunnery is also being restored to its original appearance.

The person who is responsible for developing the detailed restoration plan for Shaolin Temple is Zhang Jiatai, Dean of the Henan University Ancient Construction Institute. He stressed that in order to re-establish Shaolin temple¡¯s original style and features, this restoration must not only restore and ensure the protection of ancient constructions, but must also include the removal of modern construction which does not fit with the Shaolin style. Zhang Jiangtai further revealed that 44 structures that do not harmonize with the temple¡¯s environment will be removed. Fireproofing will also be augmented.

A proposal has been drafted to declare Shaolin Kung-Fu (the unique style of martial arts developed at Shaolin Temple) as United Nations Human Oral and Immaterial Heritage, said Shi Yongxin. A Shaolin Kung-Fu museum will be constructed to facilitate the enactment of this declaration, which will use displays and a martial arts performance hall to showcase the 1000 years of history and development of the Shaolin martial arts. The museum will be constructed after the restoration project is finished.