The Shaolin Pagoda Forest is a place where ancient monks' legacies are honored and history is carved in stone. Part of the "Center of Heaven and Earth" World Heritage site in Dengfeng, Henan Province, it contains 248 Buddhist pagodas, the oldest dating back 1,400 years to the Tang Dynasty. More than just the largest group of pagodas in China, it's also the most complete timeline of monastic architecture. Each stone and brick structure reveals the skill of ancient artisans – carvings, calligraphy and designs telling the stories of past dynasties. Known as the "Museum of Ancient Pagoda Art," it demonstrates how religion and art merged over the centuries.