Dream Legend

Chapter 108: Journey to Zhongyue Songshan

Throughout the long river of history, there is a place that is famous for its long-standing Buddhist culture and magnificent mountain scenery. That is Songshan Mountain, known as the Central Mountain.

In the vast cultural history of China, there is a place whose name resounds through the sky and shocks the world - Shaolin Temple.

It is not only a holy place of Zen Buddhism, but also the birthplace of Chinese martial arts, a mysterious place full of legends.

Located at Shaozong Yue at the foot of Mount Song in Dengfeng City, Henan Province, Shaolin Temple is backed by the majestic and steep Five Ru Peaks.

Facing the winding Shaolin River, its geographical location is unique, as if all the spiritual energy between heaven and earth is gathered here, providing an excellent environment for cultivation.

Shaolin Temple has a long and glorious history. It is said to have been built by Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei Dynasty for the Indian monk Batuo, and it has a history of more than 1,500 years.

The temple is full of towering ancient trees, numerous stone tablets, majestic halls and solemn Buddha statues, revealing a strong religious and cultural heritage and a sense of vicissitudes of time.

As the leading figure in the martial arts world, Shaolin Temple is world-renowned for its outstanding Kung Fu.

Here, monks practiced martial arts, perfectly combining Zen philosophy with martial arts, and created the world-famous Shaolin Kung Fu.

Shaolin Kung Fu not only includes a variety of martial arts such as boxing, stick techniques, sword techniques, etc., but also profound internal power techniques.

While adhering to the Buddhist teachings, martial monks of all generations have used martial arts to protect the law, making Shaolin martial arts famous.

There are endless legendary stories about Shaolin Temple, such as "Master Bodhidharma facing the wall for nine years", and mysterious skills such as "One Finger Zen", "Yi Jin Jing" and "Xi Sui Jing" are also passed down in the world.

Among them, the legendary "Yi Jin Jing" is considered to be a treasure book for strengthening the body, while "Xi Sui Jing" is a secret book for improving internal strength. The two are collectively known as "Two Classics and One Book" and are the treasures that people in the martial arts world dream of.

In addition to martial arts, Shaolin Temple is also known for its strict precepts and rules.

The monks in the temple live a simple life, observe the Ten Precepts, work at sunrise and rest at sunset, which reflects the Buddhists' ultimate pursuit of physical and mental cultivation.

This spirit has also profoundly influenced the development of martial arts culture in China and even the world.

Shaolin Temple is not only a frequent guest in martial arts novels, but also an important subject in movies and TV series.

Countless stories about Shaolin have been adapted into films, from "Shaolin Temple" to "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" and then to "Hero". Every presentation makes people feel excited, as if they can travel through time and space and experience those thrilling martial arts events in person.

Today, Shaolin Temple has become a world cultural heritage, attracting countless tourists from home and abroad to make pilgrimages. It is no longer just a symbol of martial arts, but also a symbol of culture and a spiritual heritage.

Here, every brick and tile, every leaf and branch seem to be telling those ancient legendary stories, which make people feel awe.

The members of the Divine Circle team embarked on a journey to explore Mount Song. With a yearning for the origin and culture of Chinese martial arts, they came to the world-famous martial arts holy land - Shaolin Temple.

The temple is located among the green mountains. The ancient halls and towers with flying eaves and pointed corners all reveal a solemn and dignified atmosphere.

As the visit progressed, the group members seemed to travel through time and space and return to the legendary martial arts era.

They saw the Shaolin disciples practicing martial arts in the Shaolin Temple's martial arts arena: vigorous and powerful boxing, agile and nimble postures, loud and crisp shouts. Every movement contained deep internal strength, and every move revealed a thousand-year heritage.

Under the guidance of a kind old monk, the members of the Shenquan group learned about the origin and development of Chinese martial arts.

It turns out that Shaolin Temple is not only the birthplace of Zen Buddhism, but also the cradle of Chinese martial arts.

Here, Buddhism and martial arts are integrated to form a unique "Zen martial arts".

They also visited the Sutra Repository together and accidentally saw a yellowed copy of the Yi Jin Jing.

Du Xiaoyong's understated sigh: "Shaolin's Yi Jin Jing is really a martial arts secret book," was unexpectedly like dropping a blockbuster bomb, instantly igniting the enthusiasm of the God Circle group.

Sun Jingjing was the first to take over the conversation: "Huh, Yi Jin Jing? That's just some outdated almanac. The martial arts world now emphasizes scientific fitness, and yoga is the kingly way."

As she spoke, she gracefully demonstrated yoga poses, like a modern martial arts fairy.

He Juan immediately retorted: "Jingjing, don't underestimate the Yi Jin Jing. It is a treasure for both internal and external cultivation. The reason why I can practice Tai Chi so well is thanks to its enlightenment."

After saying that, she struck a Tai Chi posture, and the air around her seemed to flow with it.

Shan Ming couldn't help but make a joke: "Haha, I don't know if Yi Jin Jing is a martial arts secret book, but I heard that if you practice it, you won't feel cold in winter without wearing long underwear. Is this considered a martial arts secret book to resist cold? This is really a big bug!"

His words made everyone laugh.

Lin Fan, however, had a different view: "Have you ever considered that Yi Jin Jing is actually a philosophy book? It teaches us how to purify the mind through physical training."

As he spoke, he acted like a thinker, as if he had already realized the true meaning of life.

He Le smiled and tried to ease the atmosphere: "Everyone has a point. The Yi Jin Jing is a treasure, but harmony brings wealth. Why don't we practice it together? Maybe we can make some new discoveries." His proposal was unanimously agreed by everyone.

Finally, it was Wu Shandi's turn to speak up: "The Yi Jin Jing is a secret that will not be passed down. If you are really interested, you will naturally be able to understand the mystery within it."

His words were concise and powerful, yet they made everyone present feel an unspoken majesty.

As to whether the Yi Jin Jing is really a martial arts secret book, this question may never have an answer.

When the old monk heard everyone making fun of the Yi Jin Jing, he put his hands together on his chest and said, "What a sin, what a sin, Amitabha, Amitabha..."

When everyone saw the old monk’s pious look, they immediately felt ashamed and disrespectful to Buddhism.

Everyone quickly apologized to the old monk for having violated Buddhist taboos.

The old monk also told many legendary stories about Shaolin Temple, such as the story of Emperor Tang Li Shimin destroying Shaolin Temple to save the trapped thirteen monks, and the heroic deeds of Shaolin disciples in helping Yue Fei fight against the Jin army.

These stories not only demonstrate the power of Shaolin martial arts, but also embody the chivalrous spirit of the monks.

In another corner of Songshan, the team members also visited Zhongyue Temple, an ancient Taoist holy place. The forest of steles, stone carvings and murals in the temple all show the profoundness of ancient Chinese culture.

In particular, the murals depicting ancient martial arts masters vividly reproduce their heroic postures, making people seem to hear the whistling sound of swords.

As the sun set and the golden afterglow cast on Mount Song, the team members reluctantly bid farewell to this legendary land.

They know that this experience will become a precious memory in their lives, and the cultural heritage and martial arts spirit of Songshan will always inspire them to move forward.