Shaolin Pagoda Forest (Talin)

The Shaolin Pagoda Forest, known in Chinese as Talin, lies in the Shaolin Scenic Area about 500 metres west of Shaolin Temple near Dengfeng in Henan province. It is a hillside cemetery holding more than 240 brick and stone funerary pagodas that mark the burial places of Shaolin abbots and eminent monks. The oldest dates from the Tang dynasty, and the collection continues through the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing periods, making it the largest pagoda cemetery in China. Individual pagodas range from small single-storey markers to towers of seven or more tiers, and their shapes vary by era, some square, some hexagonal, some round. Carved inscriptions on many of them record the name, rank and dates of the monk commemorated, and a few carry decorative reliefs. The pagodas stand close together among cypress trees, so the site is best explored by wandering the narrow paths rather than following a fixed route. Visitors see the layered rooflines against the ridge behind, and the setting is far quieter than the temple itself. The site is included in the main Shaolin scenic area ticket, so no separate admission is needed. A visit usually takes one to one and a half hours, longer for photographers or those reading inscriptions. The walk from the temple gate takes about 15 minutes, or visitors can use the scenic-area shuttle. Late afternoon offers warm light on the brick and stone, and crowds thin noticeably once the temple tour groups have moved on. Good vantage points include the raised paths at the upper edge of the cemetery, which give a view down over the clustered tops. Photography is allowed throughout. Paths are uneven in places and can be slippery after rain, so sturdy shoes are advisable. Most visitors pair the forest with the temple and the martial-arts show on the same day, since all sit within a short distance of each other inside the scenic area.