Pope Francis welcomed a delegation of monks from the Shaolin Temple, an iconic site of Zen Buddhism in China, in a private audience this Sunday, February 2nd, in his Vatican office. This meeting comes just days after an international forum on meditation organized by the temple, which brought together spiritual leaders and thinkers from around the world to reflect on meditation's contribution to peace and the development of relations between peoples.
The Shaolin Temple, located on the slopes of Mount Song, one of China's five sacred mountains, is best known in the West as the cradle of kung fu, a martial art still practiced by its monks. However, they are keen to remind that this discipline is only one aspect of their rich spiritual and cultural heritage. Founded in the 5th century by Emperor Wei Xiaowendi, the temple was the place where Indian sacred texts were translated into Chinese, giving rise to the precepts of Zen Buddhism.
The World Forum on Chan (Zen), titled "Future World Chan Forum," was held from January 19th to 22nd at the Shaolin Temple. Among the participants was the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmed Al-Tayeb, who spoke of the Declaration on Human Fraternity, signed in 2019 with Pope Francis. This event was intended to promote the importance of meditation for individual well-being and harmony among nations.
The Shaolin Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2010, sometimes faces criticism due to its tourist popularity and its association with kung fu. The monks respond to these criticisms by emphasizing that their mission extends far beyond martial practice. They note that more than 200 centers worldwide are linked to their tradition, attracting over 100 million visitors each year.
In parallel, a new three-story museum is under construction on the Shaolin site. Its opening is scheduled for this year. The ground floor will be dedicated to the history of the monk Bada, the founder of Zen Buddhism in China, while the first floor will present a comprehensive overview of Shaolin's history and culture through historical documents, artifacts, and digital installations. The top floor will house a vast collection of artistic and cultural treasures, including inscriptions, sculptures, murals, and calligraphic works.
This meeting between Pope Francis and the Shaolin monks is intended as an interreligious dialogue marked by a shared search for peace and universal fraternity.