Serving the Emperor 27
What could have befallen the monastery had its monks made the wrong
decision is suggested by events that took place more than a millennium later.
In the early twentieth century Shaolin monks became embroiled in the war-
lords’ feuds that swept the north China plains. They sided with General Fan
Zhongxiu (1888–1930) against Shi Yousan (1891–1940). As a boy, Fan had stud-
ied the martial arts at the Shaolin Monastery, for which reason, presumably, its
monks lent him their support. The results were disastrous. Fan was defeated,
and on March 15, 1928, Shi set fire to the monastery, destroying some of its an-
cient towers and halls. The flames partially damaged the “Shaolin Monastery
Stele,” which recorded the politically astute choice made by other Shaolin cler-
ics fifteen hundred years earlier.^27
Text 2: Li Shimin’s letter of May 26, 621
Li Shimin himself confirmed that Shaolin monks had contributed to his
campaign. On May 26, 621, three days after the monks captured Mt. Huanyuan,^28
Li Shimin addressed them a letter of thanks. Li was in the field, preparing his
troops for the showdown with Dou Jiande two days later. Presumably he dic-
tated the letter to one of his secretaries. The Prince of Qin did sign the letter
though, and his autograph was later copied onto the Shaolin stele (figure 3):^29
[From]: The Defender-in-Chief, Director of the Department of State
Affairs, Director of the Branch Departments of State Affairs in the
Shaandong Circuit and the Yizhou Circuit, Metropolitan Governor of
Yongzhou, Military Marquis of the Left and the Right, General-in-Chief,
Area Commander in Chief Commissioned with Extraordinary PowersFig. 3. Li Shimin’s autograph “Shimin” as
copied onto the 728 Shaolin stele.