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 Damo
Pavilion is situated on a hill at the front of Wu Ru Feng (Five Breast
Peak), a small scaled architectural complex, set up in the Song
Dynasty in memory of Damo's mediation here. Some people say that it
was here that he sat in meditation. For example the inscription on the
tablet Boundless Beneficence set up in 1605 says, This
pavilion marks the place where our Buddhist saint meditated facing the
wall. |
 From
the Shaolin temple to the Damo Pavilion there is section that has a
stone path 170 meters long, built by a monk, about 80 years old, named
Xing Xa. He also paved a 190 meter path from Damo Pavilion to the Damo
Cave. Xing Xa died in 1979, but the path will remain.Damo Pavilion is bordered by gullies on three sides, with Wu Ru Feng behind it. It is a quiet, tasteful place. The construction made full use of the topographical advantages. The Entrance, the Big Hall and the Thousand Buddha Pavilion, all stand in the northern Song Dynasty; other buildings have been rebuild by later generations. Behind the Big Hall there are two small pavilions. Now over 40 inscriptions are preserved in Damo Pavilion. |
  The
Big Hall, 10.9x10.9 m, covers a floor space of about 118 square
meters. Though called 'Big Hall' , it is not very big in size. But it
attracts attention from academic circles because it considered as the
oldest and most valuable wooden structures in Henan province.The Big Hall was built in the Late Northern Song Dynasty. The words on one of the pillars in the front of the hall tell that it was built in 1125. Though it has been renovated several times, its main architectural components and features remain the same as the original. |
  According
to ancient Chinese architecture the style of Damo Pavilion belongs to
what is called the 'nine ridge pavilion'. Its plan is nearly square.
It has 12 carved pillars. Inside there are 4 more pillars carved with
portraits of Heavenly Kings. In between the 4 pillars stands a carved
stone stage. Inside the wooden shrine on the stage is consecrated a
statue of Damo. Both the frame work of the building and the proportion
of the brackets tell of its antique features. Most attractive are the
pillars propping the eaves, the inside pillars, the carved stones
supporting the wall and the exquisite relief's around the stage. |
 The
pillars propping up the eaves are octagonal. Three of the inner sides,
as well as three outer ones, can bee seen, and they all follow a
unified pattern. The pillars on both sides of the front door are
carved with dancers and singers, with flowers of pomegranate twining
round the twigs. Such pattern is among the noblest of Buddhist
designs. The front sides of both pillars are carved into life like
dancing gods playing the pipa, cymbal, sheng (Chinese wind pipe), xiao
(Chinese vertical flute) etc. On the foundation stones of the east, west and north walls, both inside and outside the hall, are also carved exquisite pictures of human figures, animals, gods and devils and treasured mountains, with water waves serving as foils. Most of the pictures of animals are outside the hall; while pictures with human forms are mostly on the walls inside the hall. |
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| To the north of Damo Pavilion are two
small ones, square in shape, standing side by side. It is said that
the one lying west is the place where Damo meditated facing the wall,
and that the east pavilion one housed the images of his venerable
parents. Over 40 ancient tablets are kept in Damo Pavilion, such as; Eulogy on Damo, tablet with inscription Convent where Damo meditated, tablet with the image of Guanyin, tablet inscribed with Buddhist scriptures in Sanskrit and an image of Damo and a tablet of Hui Neng Planting a cypress. Damo Pavilion is now inhabited by nuns of Shaolin. |
  Statue of Damo inside Damo Pavilion and the
pavilion as seen from Wu Ru Feng. |
| Next is: Damo Dong; Cave of Damo |