Shaolin Photographs Predate 1928

August 10, 1907
These seven photographs were taken by French sinologist Émmanuel-Édouard Chavannes. They very well may be the first photographs ever taken of Shaolin Temple!

Shaolin Temple August 10, 1907 - Songshan Vista

Shaolin Temple August 10, 1907 - Mountain Gate

Shaolin Temple August 10, 1907 - Stele Forrest

Shaolin Temple August 10, 1907 - Great Hero Treasure Hall

Shaolin Temple August 10, 1907 - Dharma Hall

Shaolin Temple August 10, 1907 - Standing in Snow Pavilion

Shaolin Temple August 10, 1907 - Thousand Buddha Hall

December 27, 1990
Upon invitation from the Japan Martial Arts Association, Venerable Shì Yǒngxìn (释永信), led a delegation of warrior monks on a cultural visit to Japan. While in the Dharma Temple of Kyoto, Yǒngxìn discovered the following photographs of Shaolin Monastery. These photographs were taken by Japanese visitors in 1920. They're incredibly precious, because they document Shaolin Temple prior to the destruction of 1928. Subsequently, the photos were reproduced and used as basis for recovering the historical appearance of Shaolin Monastery.

Rumors claim that more than 300 photographs exist, which provide a complete walk-through from start to finish of the Shaolin Monastery. Unfortunately, these sixty-seven photographs are all that we have been able to acquire. If anyone has access to higher quality copies or any photos we're missing, we'd certainly like to know and get our hands on a copy!

Shaolin Temple 1920 - Sōng Mountain Vista

Shaolin Temple 1920 - Pagoda Forest Vista

Shaolin Temple 1920 - Southern Exterior Gate

Shaolin Temple 1920 - Eastern Stone Arch

Shaolin Temple 1920 - Mountain Gate

Shaolin Temple 1920 - Mountain Gate Emperor Kāngxī Plaque

Shaolin Temple 1920 - Stele Forrest

Shaolin Temple 1920 - Heavenly Kings Hall

Shaolin Temple 1920 - Heavenly Kings Hall Temple Guardian

Shaolin Temple 1920 - Drum Tower

Shaolin Temple 1920 - Drum Tower

Shaolin Temple 1920 - Drum Tower Buddha Sculpture

Shaolin Temple 1920 - Bell Tower

Shaolin Temple 1920 - Bell Tower Emperor Lǐ Shìmín Stele

Shaolin Temple 1920 - Six Ancestors Hall

SShaolin Temple 1920 - Six Ancestors Hall Sculptures Huìkě, Guānyīn, and Dámó

Shaolin Temple 1920 - Six Ancestors Hall Mural

Shaolin Temple 1920 - Six Ancestors Hall Mural

Shaolin Temple 1920 - Jǐn Nà Luó Hall

Shaolin Temple 1920 - Jǐn Nà Luó Hall Buddha Sculpture

Shaolin Temple 1920 - Jǐn Nà Luó Hall Buddha Sculpture

Shaolin Temple 1920 - Jǐn Nà Luó Hall Buddha Sculpture

Shaolin Temple 1920 - Jǐn Nà Luó Hall Temple Guardian

Shaolin Temple 1920 - Great Hero Treasure Hall Courtyard

Shaolin Temple 1920 - Great Hero Treasure Hall

Shaolin Temple 1920 - Great Hero Treasure Hall Buddha Sculpture

Shaolin Temple 1920 - Great Hero Treasure Hall Main Column

Shaolin Temple 1920 - Great Hero Treasure Hall Mural

Shaolin Temple 1920 - Great Hero Treasure Hall Weapons West Wall

Shaolin Temple 1920 - Great Hero Treasure Hall Weapons East Wall

Shaolin Temple 1920 - Open and Quiet Pavilion

Shaolin Temple 1920 - Emperor Qiánlóng Royal Pavilion

Shaolin Temple 1920 - Dharma Hall

Shaolin Temple 1920 - Dharma Hall Buddha Sculptures and Dámó Facing Wall Stone

Shaolin Temple 1920 - Dharma Hall Manuscripts Library

Shaolin Temple 1920 - Abbot's Residence

Shaolin Temple 1920 - Abbot's Retreat West of Residence

Shaolin Temple 1920 - Abbot's Office East of Residence

Shaolin Temple 1920 - Standing in Snow Pavillion Buddha Sculpture

Shaolin Temple 1920 - Samantabhadra Palace Hall

Shaolin Temple 1920 - Samantabhadra Palace Hall Buddha Sculpture

Shaolin Temple 1920 - Samantabhadra Palace Hall Sculptures Five of the Ten Kings of Hell

Shaolin Temple 1920 - Samantabhadra Palace Hall Sculptures Five of the Ten Kings of Hell

Shaolin Temple 1920 - White Garment Hall

Shaolin Temple 1920 - White Garment Hall Guānyīn Sculpture

Shaolin Temple 1920 - White Garment Hall Mural

Shaolin Temple 1920 - White Garment Hall Mural

Shaolin Temple 1920 - Thousand Buddha Hall

Shaolin Temple 1920 - Thousand Buddha Hall Buddha Sculpture

Shaolin Temple 1920 - Thousand Buddha Hall Buddha Sculpture

Shaolin Temple 1920 - Thousand Buddha Hall Damo Sculpture

Shaolin Temple 1920 - Thousand Buddha Hall Mural Five Hundred Arhats

Shaolin Temple 1920 - Sweet Dew Terrace

Shaolin Temple 1920 - First Patriarch Temple Main Hall 

Shaolin Temple 1920 - First Patriarch Temple Main Hall Column

Shaolin Temple 1920 - First Patriarch Temple Main Hall Column

Shaolin Temple 1920 - First Patriarch Temple Main Hall Dámó Sculpture

Shaolin Temple 1920 - First Patriarch Temple Main Hall Buddha Sculpture

Shaolin Temple 1920 - First Patriarch Temple Main Hall Mural

Shaolin Temple 1920 - First Patriarch Temple Stele Forrest East of Main Hall

Shaolin Temple 1920 - First Patriarch Temple East Pavilion

Shaolin Temple 1920 - First Patriarch Temple Thousand Buddha Hall

Shaolin Temple 1920 - Dámó Cave Arch

Shaolin Temple 1920 - Dámó Cave

Shaolin Temple 1920 - Second Patriarch Temple Vista

Shaolin Temple 1920 - Second Patriarch Temple Unidentified Structure

Shaolin Temple 1920 - Second Patriarch Temple Buddha Sculpture

1923
Shì Hénglín (恒林), then abbot of Shaolin Monastery, secretary of the Song Shan Monk Society, and chief of the Shaolin Temple Security Corps (Shàolín Sì Bǎowèi Tuán 少林寺保卫团), gathered the monk soldiers to hold an oath-taking ritual in front of the temple's Main Hall  (Dà Xióng Bǎo Diàn 大雄宝殿). In the center, on horseback, is Shì Hénglín.

Shaolin Temple Security Corps 1912-1928

This photograph is often reported to have been taken in 1926. However, Hénglín (恒林) passed away in 1923. Therefore, either the man on horseback is not Hénglín (恒林) or the reported date is incorrect. If the date is correct, then one would suspect the man on horseback to be Miàoxìng (妙兴). However based on the appearant age of the man on horseback, one would rationally suspect the man is more likely to be Hénglín (恒林), who was considerably older in 1923 than Miàoxìng (妙兴) was in 1926 or even 1927 when he passed away.