Shaolin Temple White Robe Hall and Thousand Buddha Hall Murals

CHINA, Henan, Zhengzhou; Qing dynasty

Most of the murals in Shaolin Temple are painted in the White Robe Hall and the Thousand Buddha Hall. On the north wall of the White Robe Hall, the Shaolin monks are depicted sparring bare-handed, while on the south wall, the monks practice with weapons including swords, spears, halberds, and chains. Both murals are accurate representations of Shaolin martial arts, especially the south wall, which portrays specific details of the hand, leg, and body positions in the weapon routines. In the background, the Mountain Gate, Heavenly King Hall, and Great Hero Hall of the temple are reproduced, making the murals invaluable for the study of the temple’s architectural history.
There are two murals on the east wall of the White Robe Hall. One depicts the story of thirteen Shaolin monks saving Li Shimin, the Prince of Qin who later became the second emperor of the Tang dynasty (618–907). The thirteen monks rescued Li after he was captured during his campaign against the insurgency led by Wang Shicong in the early years of the Tang dynasty. The other mural is the story of the Shaolin monk Kinnara, who defended the temple against the invasion of Red Scarf Army rebels from the Central Plain during the late Yuan dynasty (1271–1368). The Thousand Buddha Hall is dedicated to Vairocana Buddha. On the north and east walls, a mural covering a total area of 320 sq m depicts the Five Hundred Arhats paying respect to Vairocana Buddha.