China's Shaolin Temple

First Buddhist temples built on Songshan, Batuo (Bodhidharma) arrives from India, Huike cuts off his arm to show sincerity, Emperor Xiaowen gives Batuo funds for Shaolin construction, Northern Dynasty capital at Luoyang falls, First Sui emperor awards Shaolin Temple land, Shaolin monks ward off bandit attacks, Warlord Wang Shichong captures Shaolin estate lands, Shaolin monks join Li Shimin's fight against Wang Shichong and capture his fortress, Shaolin Monastery is shut down and monks forced into lay life

Shaolin Temple allowed to reopen because of military services rendered, Li Shimin returns estate to Shaolin monks, Li Shimin orders execution of "illegally ordained" monks, Master Faru teaches Chan Buddhism at Shaolin, Shaolin monk Xuanzang refuses to join Emperor Taizong's invasion of Korea, Empress Wu Zetian gives stupa and stele to temple, Master Huian teaches at Shaolin, Chan (Zen) flowers in China, Emperor Xuanzong confiscates all monastic lands except Shaolin's, Shaolin Monastery Stele erected with martial history engraved on it

Emperor Wuzong destroys Buddhist monasteries and purges monks but spares Shaolin, Special shrine constructed at Shaolin to Bodhidharma (Batuo), Red Turban (Hongjin) rebels attack and destroy Shaolin, Monks return to Shaolin Temple, Shaolin monks become famous for martial arts skills, 70 Shaolin monks die fighting bandits, Monk Sanqi Yougong travels country and teaches martial arts to over 1,000 students, Pirate raids intensify on Chinese coast, Shaolin monks mobilized for 4 battles against pirates, Government official accuses Shaolin monks of eating meat and drinking alcohol

Empress Dowager Zisheng gives woodblock edition of scriptures to Shaolin, Thousand Buddhas Hall built to house scriptures, Publication of Shaolin Staff Method, Shaolin monks develop empty-hand fighting techniques, Anti-Ming rebellions - Shaolin monks fight for doomed dynasty, Warlord Li Zicheng destroys Shaolin's monastic army and sacks temple, Manchus defeat Ming and found Qing Dynasty, Abbot Yongyu leaves no successor at Shaolin Temple, Legendary rescue of Kangxi Emperor by Shaolin monks and subsequent betrayal by government officials, Historian Gu Yanwu travels to deserted Shaolin and records military history from stelae

Shaolin reopens and begins to recover, Kangxi Emperor gives gifts of calligraphy to signal imperial favor, Empty-hand fighting eclipses staff fighting at Shaolin Monastery, Yongzheng Emperor approves plans for major renovation of Shaolin, Qianlong Emperor sends officials to raid and purge the temple, Mongolian official Yaertu accuses Shaolin of training gangsters, Qianlong Emperor visits Shaolin and writes 4 poems about the temple, Qianlong Emperor forbids monks from training troops or deploying for battle, Cao Huandou publishes Hand Combat Classic based on Shaolin Close-Range Fist fighting style, County magistrate warns Shaolin monks to stop eating meat, drinking alcohol and hiring prostitutes

Shaolin Temple implicated in Boxer Rebellion, Warlord Shi Yousan burns down Shaolin, Cultural Revolution - few remaining monks publicly flogged and jailed, Film Shaolin Shi starring Jet Li revives temple's fame, Private martial arts schools spring up around Shaolin Temple, 1 million + tourists visit Shaolin annually, Abbot Yongxin expels "fake monks" and clears martial arts schools and other businesses from temple grounds