Shaolin Bei Yuan

[r.(shaolin)]

The character 'yuan' 院 could refer to 'school' or 'public institution' but 北宗 could more likely be used to refer to Chan sects, North (Buddhism); Taoist sects, North (Taoism) 佛教禪宗派別 北宗 (佛教) 道教派別，北宗 (道教).
I'm not sure what you mean by 'northern abbey' etc. 僧院 i.e 'abbey is just another word of the Buddhist monastery and within Buddhist monasteries the buildings are usually referred to as 堂. I understand that outside the Shaolin temple to the northwest there are only two monasteries, the Ancestor's Monastery and the Second Ancestor's Monastery, possibly you can explain further about what you are referring to by 'abbeys'.
cheers,
r.
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www.shaolinwushu.com

Shaolin ChanSi, Shaolin Zen Temple was split into 4 abbeys. NanYuan, XiYuan, DongYuan, BeiYuan.

That is Southern abbey, western abbey, eastern abbey, northern abbey. (also sometimes referred to as courtyards).

These are not separate temples but all within the Shaolin area.

Shaolin used to own a large area of land all around YuZhai Mountain (the jade fortress, the old name for Shaoshi mountain).

They had different areas. The NanYuan and XiYuan are the ones famous for their martial arts. Even today traditional schools are polarised into these two sects, the Nanyuan pai and the Xiyuan pai. Modern schools and the temple itself no longer make the distinction and practice whatever they have left.

As to the Eastern and Northern abbeys (to which you refer), I confess I do not know their pursuit. I assumed their practice was Meditation and Scholarship. If it was Martial Arts then I do not think any survive.


This is conjecture; The idea I get is that the area being large had many outbuildings, Northern abbey would be one of them, perhaps with its own facilities, but still within walking distance of the main temple. I would imagine it housed a division of monks with a particular function different to those of the other abbeys.


If I may ask what reference is there to it?