The temple in Putian is built at the foot of the Nine Lotus Mountain. 九蓮山. This corresponds to the place that Shi Gaoshen is said to have mentioned as the place of origin of the Sao Lim. Consultations have been held with the current abbot and representatives of the Sao Lim to reintroduce the style in the Putian temple. In spring 2024, a delegation visited Putian and a demonstration of the Sao Lim was given in the temple.
Introduction, from the book: The Riddle of Southern Shaolin (Translated from Shaolin Fang Gu, by Wen Yu Chen ISBN:7-5306-2830-5)
“On April 4, 1992 the Putian city government held a press conference to announce that in a township therein the remnants of the Southern Shaolin Temple had been found. Xin Hua and 19 other Chinese and international news agencies showed up for the conference. Soon after, the news was published in Xin Hua and Zhong Xin outlets. The stories said that the work on the theory that Southern Shaolin was located within the LinQuan Yuan in Putian’s Lin Shan neighbourhood began with the ‘Southern Shaolin Temple Remnants Meeting?on Sept 14, 1991. Attending this meeting were more than 30 scholars and experts from seven provinces and was led by the head of the Chengdu Sports Administration, Prof. Yu Yun Tai, Chinese Peoples University (Renmin Daxue) professor Tai Bao Qi, and professor Luo Zhao of the Chinese Social Science World Religion Research Center. The meeting’s main presentation of evidence was a piece of research by the Fujian Cultural Center, Archaeological Team member Lin Gong Yu, entitled ‘Putian Lin Quan Yuan’ ruins discovery and early analysis.
According to this report, from Dec. 1990 to May 1991 a 1,325 square meter ruin was found with strata beneath that included Song, Yuan, Ming and late Qing dynasty periods. The remnants accord with building techniques of Ming through Song times. At the same time, Song dynasty era carvings were found that have clear writing: ‘Lin Quan Yuan, Enlightened Teacher Nan Ti’s tower, Tian You, thus proving it is indeed Lin Quan Yuan. However, Song era writers record in the ‘San Shan Zhi?(records of San Shan) report that Lin Quan Yuan construction was begun in 557, which is a long way from the Song era (1100’s).
The archaeologist proposes the following theory in the section ‘Concerning the problem of the Southern Shaolin Temple: ‘This find has not found any direct evidence of the Southern Shaolin Temple, but there is a lot of circumstantial evidence which points to this Lin Quan Yuan as being the Southern Shaolin mentioned by so many modern scholars, legends, novels, and stories among the people.
5 points support this conclusion.
- Correct place. Many scholarly reports are that the southern temple was somewhere in Fujian’s Putian ‘jiu lian’mountains. Moreover, the Lin Quan Yuan is found in the Lin Shan neighborhood, which was called Quan Shan in Song times. ‘Jiu Lian mountain came along much later as a result of secret society activity.
- The Lin Quan Yuan had martial monks. Within the ruins a large stele was on which was carved ‘This temple’s martial monks Yong Qi and Jin Qi built a trough in Sept. 1063, placed by Ti Rong. The archaeologist concludes, ‘martial monks are naturally associated with Shaolin.
- Lin Quan Yuan’s location ‘created the right conditions for Northern Shaolin disciples to visit.
- Lin Quan Yuan is surrounded by several other temples, ‘and these temples records and steles have many references to Shaolin disciples’. For example, Ku Zhu Temple, Jiu Lian Yan Temple and others record that Shaolin monks built them. The nearby temple’s relationship with Lin Quan Yuan was very close, and some even counted themselves as sub-temples. This seems to show that Lin Quan Yuan could be the Southern Shaolin.
- The Southern Shaolin ‘has always and forever been related to Hong Men (early triad) legends. Lin Quan Yuan’s own destruction seems to coincide with the legends of early Qing demolition of the Southern Shaolin temple. The temple’s northern building ‘Red Flower Pavilion’ (built in 1646) has written over the door ‘All things return to the 3-foot sword, in the time of the 5 clouds, the 7-star flag will appear, which seem to relate to the Hong Men’s leader, Wan Yun Long. Not coincidentally, many of the late Ming loyalists ‘left home’ (become monks) and entered the Putian, Fujian Jiulian Southern Shaolin temple.
Overall, much of the scholarship in the report is trustworthy. However, the theories in the ‘Concerning the Southern Shaolin problem are not. For example, Hua Qiao University’s Lin Yi Zhou’s work ‘New Study of the Southern Shaolin Temple presents several doubts:
Fan Wen Lian’s 1941 revision of the ‘Complete History of China (school text book), struck out the line ‘Kang Xi’s 13th year, the triads were formed; they were begun by the Putian, Fujian Jiu Lian Mountain Shaolin Temple monks, because it was seen as incorrect and nothing but legend because Putian does not have a Jiu Lian Mountain.
Also, ‘martial monks’are not solely from Shaolin. In the Yuan Dynasty, the Quan Zhou Kai Yuan monastery also had fighting monks.
Therefore, the words ‘martial monks’ carved on the stele cannot be definitively related to Shaolin, northern or southern.
In November 1992 I asked about the problem of Lin Quan Yuan and Southern Shaolin, and after much debate, my opinion (Wen Yuchen, writer) was asked for. I replied ‘there is nothing in the Songshan (northern) Shaolin Temple’s writings, or other materials we have currently, to indicate a Southern Shaolin
Temple. Whether Lin Quan Yuan is or isn’t, much remains to be seen and only hard research will reveal the truth.”
The temple was rebuilt and in 2000 I visited the temple. That’s when I wrote this text. I believe it’s the same text that was used for an article in an American Kungfu magazine.
“In 1990 archeologists found the ruins of a temple complex on Jiulianshan near Putian villeage in Fujian Province. It took them 2 years to decide that this was indeed the location of the famous and long lost South Shaolin Temple. It was quite a spectacular finding, and reports of the excavation activities could be seen on TV all over China. Soon after this it was decided that a brand new temple was to be built, bearing the name ‘Southern Shaolin Temple’. Different from what you may expect, the new building wasn’t planned in the direct vicinity, but actually on the exact same spot of the old temple.
Anyone who wants to visit this location and wants to see some ruins from the original building, is better of staying at home because there is practically nothing left to be seen. Apart from some stone artifacts and bricks, on display in the temple, all has been removed. Some of the artifacts removed were brought to other places.
The fact that the new temple is standing on the some spot as the original, and thus destroying any remains, was quite an unbelievable fact for me, but the people inside the temple and other Chinese said that they saw no problem in doing this. There was hope of seeing a restoration of the orifinal temple, but restoring a temple in China usually means rebuilding the whole thing from scratch. No matter how old, or how much was left of the original structure. There are still many undiscovered things on the site, like the secret underground tunnel system.
At this moment the Southern Shaolin Temple consists of two main buildings and some smaller side buildings. There are plans to add more buildings in the future, but since all money was spend on these two buildings, further construction has been postponed. 
The plan of the temple is said to based on the layout of the original temple, although the general layout is not too different from any other Buddhist temples in China. In one of the buildings one can see a plan of the temple as it is supposed to look like in the future. Interesting is that the areas of the temple already completed are sometimes different from the plan.
The pictures above give a nice overview of the new temple. First is the gateway, then an entrance building. After that is the first large building. On each side (a very) modest tower: one drum and one bell tower. Then comes the second and last building. Behind this is the temple wall. Behind the temple is more room for future expansions of the temple.
Attached to the tower buildings there are some smaller buildings, leading up the back part of the temple complex.
The closest big city is Fuzhou from which you take a bus to Putian Village. From the main bus station a minibus takes you to the outskirts of town where a special minibus takes you directly to the temple. Only one problem; it will only leave if completely filled with passengers. That is a bit of problem, since this little village isn’t exactly crowded with tourists. Expect to wait for more than an hour for the bus driver to decide it is time to leave. Author and company were the only ones that really wanted to go to the temple; the other people were locals getting off at small mountain villages. Also located at the ‘bus station’ was an enrollment desk to the temple martial arts school, which is located inside the temple. This enrollment desk was the only hint that the Southern Shaolin temple was close by; no other visible martial art schools, martial art shops, advertisements or other indications of martial arts activity in the area.
The ad of the temple martial art school is announces that the Putian Southern Shaolin temple was, for the first time, recruiting layman disciples. Enrollment started on February 18th 2001, after opening of the newly built temple. Fee’s are: 5000 Yuan RMB (app. $ 700 US) for one year’s martial art training. The temple schools also serves as a junior and middle school; the fee for this course is 6000 Yuan RMB (app. $ 835 US) per year and food will cost about 350 Yuan RMB (app $ 50 US) per month. Discounted fee’s are available until the 16th of May and enrollment closes at September 1st, since all schools start that day. These fees probably only apply for those of a Chinese disposition. For more information one can go to the temple.
There is a brand new road leading up to the temple, appropriately named ‘Nan Shaolin Lu’ (South Shaolin Road). Road signs advised us that ‘The Famous Southern Shaolin Temple’ is located 11 kilometers outside the city.
As said, a brand new road up the mountain, but some parts were already partly covered with huge rocks that tumbled down the mountain. As the bus went higher and higher it became foggier and foggier and the temperature lowered considerably. After a bumpy and twisty ride of 20 minutes the bus arrived.
Exitement rose when the finally seeing the Southern Shaolin temple, but this excitement was quickly tempered when after a quick look around the temple area; it resembled a building site. In fact this was the case, but what was not clear was whether or not actual buildings were actively being built, as there was rust on the building equipment and on half of the completed buildings in front the temple gate.
This picture shows you the temple archway. Upon entering it was obvious that this was not the busiest day in the temple. Also obvious was that no effort was made to rebuild the temple complex in old style architecture. The impression the new temple gave me was one of hastily build, low budget buildings. Not build to last centuries. Which is kind of sad, since this important place in as well in Chinese Buddhism as in Chinese Martial Arts deserves more than this.
This is the actual entrance to the temple; admission is charged here.
It was a very modest 5 Yuan (app $ 0.62) (Northern Shaolin Temple: 45 Yuan) At this time we found out that the temple wasn’t officially opened yet. The grand opening was scheduled around September or October 2001. This also meant that not a lot was being done to attract visitors.
This is the first big building, directly opposite the entrance gate. This building is called Tianwang Dian, or Hall of the Heavenly Kings. A Buddhist temple in China is not a Buddhist temple without this hall, which can be found in countless other temples in China.
This photo is inside the Hall of the Heavenly Kings. Facing the entrance gate sits a statue of Mile Dafo, or Maitreya. Maitreya is a personage from Indian Buddhism, ready to absorb all the bad things in the world The statue obviously looks Chinese, that’s because it’s actually an image of a Chinese monk called Xi Ci. He was known all over China and everywhere he traveled he helped the poor and those in need. He could face the evil things in the world with a smile and nothing would make him loose his temper. Just before he died he spoke some Buddhist phrases, connected with Maitreya. After his death his image was used to display the image of Maitreya. He is always smiling; teaching us that we should confront all evil with a smile. He is not fat because he ate too much, but rather because he consumes all evil in the world. In the background are two of the four statues of the Heavenly Kings.The second picture shows Wei Tuo, or Skanda. He is the defender of the Buddhist faith. He always faces the Daxiong Baodian. In the background are the two of the four statues of the Heavenly Kings. Each direction of the wind has a Heavenly King; one holds a pipa, one a sword, one an umbrella, and one holds a small ball and a dragon. An interesting detail is that the left thumb of Maitreya was broken of and hastily repaired; all this before the official opening of the temple.
The monk on duty, who woke up after we entered the hall, gave permission to take these pictures inside the building.
Standing with your back to the Tianwang Dian and facing the entrance gate, this is what you see. In a temple it is usually possible to walk strait through the middle, but in the Southern Shaolin Temple there is a small pool, forcing visitors to walk around. Besides the pool on either side is a courtyard reserved for putting up stele, or stone tablets. Master Sin Kwang Thé of the US put up a stele tablet a year earlier. So far only one stele can be found at the temple.
To the left side (from this picture’s point of view) is the entrance gate to the temple’s martial art school and abbot’s residence. The martial art school is only open for visitors on Sunday, on which the temple also does demonstrations. Maybe good to know if you’re planning a visit.
The main building of the temple is the Daxiong Baodian, or Mahavira Hall. Inside Buddha Shijiamuni, or Sakyamuni. Flanked by other statues, depicting Sakyamuni in past and future lives. Unfortunately no picture of this, since the monk on duty on duty in this hall didn’t give permission, but of you look carefully you see a glimpse of it on on the first of the two pictures below. On either side are statues of Lohans – in total 18 Luohan, or Arhats.
These three buildings together is what makes this a temple; these buildings with the same setup can be found all over China; there is nothing special ‘Shaolin’ about it, in case you expected something like that. The impression it gave me was one of hastily build, low budget buildings. Not build to last centuries. Which is kind of sad, since this important place in as well in Chinese Buddhism as in Chinese Martial Arts deserves more than this.
It was revealed that the martial arts practiced in the Southern Shaolin temple are the same as in the Songshan Shaolin temple, since all the monks that live there come from the Songshan Shaolin temple. The 12 monks and Abbot were sent to the Southern Shaolin temple by the Chinese Government; some suggest that the present political environment has got something to do with their departure. This means the martial arts are those as practiced in the Songshan Shaolin temple. No martial arts training was being done at the moment of this visit; upon leaving the temple a group of young guys, coming from the temple school, started jogging around the temple complex. Besides traditional Songshan Shaolin Temple Wushu, traditional Southern Shaolin Temple Wushu and Ziranmen Gong Fu (Natural Style Kung Fu) are being instructed inside the temple walls. The Abbot doesn’t concern himself with teaching any students; the monk responsible is of the temple leaves all responsibilities to Chief Instructor monk Shi Xinghuan, who’s laymen name is Lai Huanxing.
Looking left and right with your back toward the Daxiong Baodian, you see the Drum Tower, a building not completed and the temple shop (including the mandatory sleeping shop assistants!). In the shop are some general Buddhist items. There were some weapons on display outside the shop, but inside the shop there are now articles to be found that are related to the martial arts, or specifically to the Southern Shaolin temple for that matter.
On the left is the Bell Tower and a building which displays some archeological artifacts from the find and a building which was closed and empty (not on the picture). Also in the picture is one of the jogging students from the temple school.
The building with the displays is by far the most interesting building inside the temple complex. It has displays of photographs of the excavation work, martial art performances from visitors and calligraphy by Party leaders visiting the temple.
Also on display are countless roof tiles and bricks from the original structure, loads of pottery and old, rusty martial art weapons. These weapons included tridents or forks of several sizes, spearheads and small sized halberds. All the things inside this museum are artifacts found on site and in the direct vicinity of the temple complex. The monk we met inside the Tianwang Dian gave a small tour and revealed, amongst other things, that the big stone ‘bathtubs’ found on the site were used as water basins and for washing medicinal herb. Up to present day this method is used to wash medicinal herb. (inscriptions on it actually do say Luohan Cai).
Master Sin’s stone tablet at the courtyard in front of the Tianwang Dian inspired the author to inquire about the possibilities of putting up a similar stele commemorating his visit. Expecting a meeting with a government official he was, to this great surprise, introduced to the present abbot of the Southern Shaolin temple Shi Suxi, since the government official responsible wasn’t available.
Shi Suxi is one of the few pre-cultural revolution monks from Songshan Shaolin temple in Henan province and is one of the oldest Shaolin masters left. He came to the Southern Shaolin Temple in Aprill 2001 and now is in charge of daily management of the temple. In June 2002 he temporally returned to the Songshan Shaolin Temple to inspect a new build pagoda, in which his remains will be placed after his death.
When one wants to put up a stele in a (Buddhist) temple, large part of the cost is a donation to the temple. The money is used i.a. to feed the monks and maintain the buildings of the temple. Common in many temples in China are large stone tablets with hundreds of names of persons who donated money and how much they donated. Usually a few hundred Yuan RMB; the higher the amount of money, the bigger the name will appear on the tablet.
Size of the tablet is important; a small tablet doesn’t look impressive and shows lack of respect. The tablet will stay inside the temple for as long the temple will exist. The total price of the stele which the author was thinking of was about 20,000 Yuan RMB (app. 2800 US Dollar).
I asked the monk if it was possible for visitors to put up stone tablets inside the courtyard of the temple. He told me it was possible and suggested I talk about this with the Party secretary responsible for this. But nobody knew were he was or when he would be back, so the monk took me to meet the Abbot and talk with him about it. We were waiting inside the guestroom of the Abbot’s quarters, when I saw I saw a old monk walking in, supported by a younger apprentice. Suddenly I realized this was Shi Suxi, one of the few pre-cultural revolution monks from Songshan Shaolin temple in Henan province. Shaolin Grandmaster Shi Suxi is one of the oldest Shaolin masters left and is now in charge of restoring the Southern Shaolin Temple. In recent years he was leading a quiet life inside in the Songshan Shaolin temple, especially after his illness had worsened in recent years.
I felt quite embarrassed talking to a living legend about such a trifle thing. I was expecting to have a short talk with some government official, but suddenly I was sitting there talking with Shi Suxi. Since there was no turning back I decided the make the best out of it and get it over and done with quickly as to not waste to much of his time.
Since Shi Suxi lost most of his speech because of his illness, talking was done by a person who’s position inside the temple is still unclear to me. He seemed to represent and assist Shi Suxi. After some formalities I informed about the possibilities of putting up a stone tablet inside the courtyard. When someone wants to put up a stone tablet in a temple, large part of the cost is a donation to the temple. The money is used i.a. to feed the monks and maintain the buildings of the temple. Common in many temples in China are large stone tablets with hundreds of names of persons who donated money and how much they donated. Usually a few hundred Yuan RMB; the higher the amount of money, the bigger the name will appear on the tablet. First Shi Suxi thought I wanted something like that, but I was thinking of, inspired by Master Sin’s stele, a whole stone tablet with the name the martial art school I study, as a commemoration of my visit.
Size of the tablet turned out to be important; a small tablet doesn’t look nice and shows lack of respect. The tablet will stay inside the temple for as long the temple will exist, so it better be a grand one. The price of setting up a tablet rose and fall during our conversation. Shi Suxi words could only be understood by his assistant, and he didn’t seem to be actively participating. But suddenly he said with a clear voice: “20.000 Yuan”. At that moment I told them again I was only informing and didn’t take such a big amount of money with me, but would surely return in the future to put up the tablet. When we left the Abbots quarters, we could hear Shi Suxi’s assistant say in a lowered voice: “They come here with no money and think they can put up a stele!”.
For those who want to visit the temple (school), here the address. Just go to Fuzhou first and then show people at the bus station the address: you can’t go wrong. The third telephone number is also their fax-number. Wheter you get an (intelligent) reply depends on their mood and whose in the office (and the position of the moon amongst other things).
After the minibus which brings the visitors down hill was filled up with enough passengers, it left, but after a few hundred meters it stopped. Emerging from the mist was a martial art school. A huge new complex where a few hundred children live and train martial arts.
As far as the author could judge the martial arts practiced were a mix of contemporary Wushu and Northern Shaolin, with much emphasize on flexibility and athletics. Some of the smaller kids were kinda sloppy, but others were precise and athletic. The things demonstrated consisted of basic horse-stance with combined punch training to somersaults and the likes. But also other exercises with a small Buddhist wooden drum in the shape of a fish. The youngsters kept the ‘fish’ in one hand and a small drumstick in the other. They beat the ‘fish’ after which they took on a different, seemingly, martial pose.
This schools is a private school and therefore unrelated with the Southern Shaolin Temple. The style of Wushu taught in that school compromises National (Chinese) Competition Forms. Instructors are not from the temple either; they come from other places in China.”