The Pagoda Forest, about 500 meters west of the Changzhu Yard (prime building of Shaolin Temple), is the cemetery of monks of all generations of the temple. A pagoda was established on the top of a dignitary monk to honor his merits and virtues. The height, size, shape and floor numbers of pagodas vary from monk to monk, based on their status, cultivation, the number of his followers as well as the financial condition of the temple of that time. More than 240 brick/stone pagodas have been built since Tang Dynasty (618-907), made up of the largest ancient pagoda cluster in China. There are often inscriptions in the pagodas, which are valuable for the study of ancient Chinese religion and calligraphy. Yugong Pagoda stands at the center of the Pagoda Forest, built for the most famous abbot of the temple-Fuyu, the monk who contributed greatly to the resurgence of Shaolin. A stele inscribed ‘Great Founder’ was set up in front of the pagoda.