ABSTRACT
During the Song dynasty (960–1279), Buddhist and Daoist doctrines were incorporated into the framework of Confucianism. Thanks to support from the ruling class, especially the Confucian scholar-bureaucrats, Chan grew to become the dominant form of Buddhism in China, with the Linji, Yunmen and Caodong schools the most popular branches. Against this background, Shaolin began to transform from a centre of Buddhist studies into a leading Chan monastery. After the Northern Song was conquered by the Jurchen, the Jin rulers adopted the Han people’s bureaucratic and legal systems. A large portion of the Jurchen population converted to Buddhism. Chan Buddhism continued to flourish and Shaolin Monastery developed accordingly. During this period, the Caodong school of Chan established itself in Shaolin. Following the Mongol conquest of the Jin and Southern Song regimes, Buddhism was favoured and supported by the Yuan court. Shaolin Monastery received royal patronage and expanded in both size and reputation, attracting Buddhist followers from home and abroad.
