Shaolin Temple is 12 kilometers northwest of Dengfeng County, Henan Province. The temple is located in the dense jungle of Shaoshi Sanin, hence its name.

The Shaolin Temple has a long history. It was first built in the Northern Wei Dynasty. Later, the famous Indian monk Bodhidharma came to the Shaolin Temple to teach Zen Buddhism. After that, the temple gradually expanded, the number of monks increased day by day, and the Shaolin Temple became famous. Bodhidharma is known as the first ancestor of Zen Buddhism in China, and Shaolin Temple is known as the ancestral court of Zen Buddhism. The Zen method of Zen Buddhism is called "Wall Viewing", which is to sit quietly facing a wall. Sitting cross-legged for long periods of time can easily lead to fatigue, so the monks practice martial arts to relieve physical fatigue. Therefore, it is said that Shaolin Boxing was created by Bodhidharma.

Shaolin Temple became famous throughout the country in the early years of the Tang Dynasty. Thirteen monks from Shaolin Temple assisted Li Shimin in his campaign against Wang Shichong and made great contributions to the rescue. Emperor Taizong Li Shimin of the Tang Dynasty later made monk Tan Zong a general, and specifically allowed the monks of Shaolin Temple to practice military training, kill, and eat wine and meat. There is a tablet in the temple titled "The Monument Given to the Bishop of Shaolin Temple by Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty", which records this period of history. Due to the strong support of the imperial court, Shaolin Temple developed into a great Buddhist temple that is famous both at home and abroad, winning the title of "the most famous temple in the world". In the Song Dynasty, Shaolin martial arts improved greatly, and there were more than 2,000 monks in the temple. The Ming Dynasty reached its heyday.

At the foot of the mountain about 300 meters west of the Shaolin Temple, there is a pagoda forest. This is the burial place for the abbot monks of the Shaolin Temple since the Tang Dynasty, with more than 250 pagodas. This is the largest Tallinn in China. The towers vary in size and shape, and most of them have carvings and inscriptions, reflecting the architectural styles of various eras. They are a treasure trove for studying ancient Chinese masonry architecture and carving art.

The Shaolin Temple also preserves many precious cultural relics. The "Shaolin Temple" plaque hanging on the forehead of the mountain gate was written by Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty. There are dozens of steles along the main corridor behind the mountain gate and the east-west horse paths, which is called Shaolin Temple Forest of Steles. Among them, two inscriptions were written by Japanese Zen monks who studied in China.