Zen Buddhist Ancestral Temples

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What is Zen Buddhist Ancestral Temples?

Zen Buddhist ancestral temples refer to the monasteries where the founding patriarchs of the Zen school lived and spread their teachings. Zen is a sect of Chinese Buddhism that originated with Bodhidharma, flourished under the Sixth Patriarch Huineng, and became the mainstream of Chinese Buddhism after the mid-to-late Tang Dynasty. It is also one of the most important symbols of Chinese Buddhism. While many Chinese Buddhist sects originated in India, only Tiantai, Huayan, and Zen were independently developed in China, with Zen having the most distinctive character. Zen is a comprehensive school that, in terms of thought, mainly belongs to the Tathagatagarbha school of Mahayana Buddhism, emphasizing the inherent purity of nature, but also influenced by the Madhyamaka school. However, Zen does not emphasize systematic establishment and exposition of its own doctrines, instead focusing on personal cultivation and mystical experiences, with enlightenment and seeing one's true nature as the core of practice.

Distribution of Zen Ancestral Temples

First Temple: Shaolin Temple on Mount Song

Located in Dengfeng City, Henan Province, Shaolin Temple was founded in 495 CE during the Northern Wei Dynasty. Emperor Xiaowen built it to accommodate the Indian monk Batuo, naming it "Shaolin Temple" due to its location in the dense forests of Mount Shaoshi. In 527 CE, Bodhidharma, the 28th Buddhist patriarch after Shakyamuni, arrived at Shaolin Temple after a three-year journey, introducing Zen Buddhism, which had a profound impact. As a result, Shaolin Temple is globally recognized as the "Ancestral Temple of Zen" by Buddhists worldwide. It developed rapidly, especially after the "Thirteen Cudgel Monks" saved Emperor Li Shimin in the early Tang Dynasty, gaining high regard from the Tang royal family and earning the reputation of "The First Famous Monastery Under Heaven."

Second Temple: Wuxiang Temple in Anhui

Also known as Wuxiang Temple, it is located on Mount Sikong in Yuexi, Anhui Province, considered the first mountain of Chinese Zen. It is the place where the Second Patriarch Huike transmitted the robe and dharma to the Third Patriarch Sengcan, making it an eternal ancestral temple of Zen.

Bodhidharma brought Zen to China, becoming the First Patriarch of Chinese Zen. Shenguang Huike inherited Bodhidharma's robe and bowl, becoming the Second Patriarch and the first true Chinese Zen master. Huike (487-593 CE), born Shenguang with the surname Ji, was from Wulao in Luoyang. He became a monk under Master Baojing at Xiangshan Temple in Longmen, extensively studying poetry, literature, and both Mahayana and Hinayana Buddhism. In 529 CE, he visited Bodhidharma at Shaolin Temple, studying under him for six years. His sincere pursuit of the Way, demonstrated by standing in snow and cutting off his arm, moved Bodhidharma to pass on his robe and bowl, giving him the name Huike and making him the Second Patriarch of Chinese Zen.

Third Temple: Shanggu Temple on Mount Tianzhu

Shanggu Temple (Third Patriarch Temple) was founded during the reign of Emperor Wu of Liang by the eminent monk Baozhi. Legend has it that during the Southern Liang Dynasty, both the Taoist White Crane and the Buddhist monk Baozhi wanted to build a temple here. Emperor Wu of Liang ordered them to use their magical powers to claim the land. The Taoist released a white crane, while the monk threw his staff. The crane was about to land when it was startled by the flying staff and flew elsewhere. The staff stood upright on the spot, so Baozhi built the temple there. In 536 CE, Emperor Wu named it Shanggu Temple.

The Second Patriarch of Chinese Zen Buddhism once resided here, and the Third Patriarch Sengcan passed away here, with his physical remains buried on a small hill behind the temple. Later generations also called it the Third Patriarch Temple. Today, the temple gate bears the inscription "Shanggu Temple" written by the contemporary famous calligrapher Zhao Puchu.

Fourth Temple: Youju Temple in Hubei

The Fourth Patriarch Temple, originally called Youju Temple or Zhengjue Temple, is also known as Shuangfeng Temple. It was founded in 624 CE by the Fourth Patriarch of Zen, Master Daoxin, marking the beginning of Zen Buddhist monasteries in China. Located at the foot of Mount Shuangfeng in Huangmei County, Hubei Province, it is 15 kilometers from the county town and covers an area of over 110 mu (about 18 acres). It is 20 kilometers away from the Fifth Patriarch Temple on Dongshan. The western mountain, also called Broken Forehead Mountain or Shuangfeng Mountain, has an elevation of 599.8 meters. The scenery is beautiful with numerous attractions. Among them, the Three Pagodas (Vairocana Pagoda, Sentient Beings Pagoda, and Robe and Bowl Pagoda), Two Bridges (Lingrun Bridge and Bright Moon Bridge), and one stone inscription (ancient rock carvings on Lingrun Bridge cliff) are national key cultural relics protection units.

Fifth Temple: Fifth Patriarch Temple in Hubei

The Sinicization of Buddhism began with Zen. Zen is also known as the Buddha Mind School. In its fifth generation, Zen split into Southern and Northern schools, both with their ancestral temples at the Fifth Patriarch Temple in Huangmei.

The Fifth Patriarch Temple in Huangmei, also known as Dongshan Temple or Dongchan Temple, is located 13 kilometers northeast of Huangmei County, Hubei Province. It was founded by Master Hongren, the fifth-generation Zen master. The Fifth Patriarch Temple was Hongren's place of teaching and where the Sixth Patriarch Huineng sought the dharma and received the robe and bowl. The temple holds an important position in Chinese Buddhist history. Emperor Yingzong of the Song Dynasty personally wrote "Ancestral Temple Under Heaven" for the temple's plaque, while Emperor Huizong of Song titled it "Zen Forest Under Heaven." Emperor Wenzong of the Yuan Dynasty bestowed the name "Dongshan Fifth Patriarch Temple," which has been used ever since.

Sixth Temple: Nanhua Temple in Guangdong

Nanhua Temple is located at the foot of the Yuli Mountain range, 20 kilometers south of Shaoguan City, Guangdong Province, and 7 kilometers southeast of Maba in Qujiang County, 24 kilometers from Shaoguan City. It was founded in 502 CE during the Southern Liang Dynasty and was initially named Baolin Temple. The temple was built against the mountain, facing the Cao Creek, a tributary of the Bei River. In 677 CE, the Sixth Patriarch of Zen, Huineng, resided at Caoxi and developed the Southern School of Zen. It is the most famous Zen ancestral temple and is known as the First Zen Temple in Lingnan. The Tang Dynasty court bestowed the names "Zhongxing Temple" and "Hongquan Temple." In the early Song Dynasty, it was given the name "Nanhua Chan Temple," which is still used today.