Shaolin Temple on Mount Song
The "step-by-step lotus" marks worn smooth at the temple gate testify to its popularity. To ordinary visitors this may seem like just a small temple,…
Shaolin Temple on Mount Song, Zhengzhou
Key facts
- Admission
- Shaolin Temple ¥80; Mount Song (Taishi Mountain) ¥50; Zhongyue Temple ¥30; Songyang Academy ¥30; Songyue Temple Pagoda ¥40
- Opening hours
- 8：00—17：00
- Time needed
- 1–3 hours
- Getting there
- Tourist shuttle buses run to Shaolin Temple from both Luoyang and Zhengzhou, fare ¥20–35. At the entrance of the Dengfeng old bus station, bus No. 8 goes directly to Shaolin Temple, fare ¥3
- Guidebook rating
- 4 / 5
From China Self Guided Travel 2025, page 2080. Open in Google Maps
About Shaolin Temple on Mount Song
The "step-by-step lotus" marks worn smooth at the temple gate testify to its popularity. To ordinary visitors this may seem like just a small temple, and the image of crowds of monks is more imagination than reality. But with the imaginative space opened up by tales of the Iron Palm and the Yijin Jing (Sinew Transformation Classic), it is well worth finding out for yourself. If you have time, do not miss Lixue Pavilion (Standing in Snow Pavilion), and ask your guide about the moving legend that took place there.
Tips from the guidebook
- 1. Standard route: take the Mount Song cable car (¥60 round trip) up Shaoshi Mountain. Visit the Second Patriarch's Hermitage (entry ¥2) and climb to Wangwo Peak. On the cable car back down, you can view the Pagoda Forest and the full panorama of Shaolin Temple.
- 2. Sanhuang Village: if time allows (about three to four hours round trip), be sure to visit Sanhuang Village below Wangwo Peak, the very essence of Mount Song's natural scenery. You can reach it by another cable car, ¥120 round trip.
- 3. Show: Shixian Valley, 7 km from Shaolin Temple, hosts the evening "Chan Buddhism Shaolin Music Grand Ceremony", co-created by famous artists including Tan Dun and Zhang Yimou.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Shaolin Temple on Mount Song cost?
Admission to Shaolin Temple on Mount Song is Shaolin Temple ¥80; Mount Song (Taishi Mountain) ¥50; Zhongyue Temple ¥30; Songyang Academy ¥30; Songyue Temple Pagoda ¥40, as listed in the 2025 guidebook. Prices can change; check the official channel before you go.
What are the opening hours of Shaolin Temple on Mount Song?
Shaolin Temple on Mount Song is open 8：00—17：00.
How do I get to Shaolin Temple on Mount Song?
Tourist shuttle buses run to Shaolin Temple from both Luoyang and Zhengzhou, fare ¥20–35. At the entrance of the Dengfeng old bus station, bus No. 8 goes directly to Shaolin Temple, fare ¥3
How long should I spend at Shaolin Temple on Mount Song?
Plan on 1–3 hours for Shaolin Temple on Mount Song.
Where is Shaolin Temple on Mount Song?
Shaolin Temple on Mount Song is in Zhengzhou, Henan Province, in the Central China of China.
More places in Zhengzhou
Kang Baiwan Manor
"Kang Baiwan" ("Kang the Millionaire") was the title bestowed by Empress Dowager Cixi on the Kang Yingkui family. This manor is a representative example of fortified feudal architecture on the Loess Plateau in the 17th and 18th centuries. Its exterior is simple and solid, while its interior is lavishly decorated, combining features of North China and Loess Plateau residences. Its jade, wood and brick carvings are outstanding and are hailed as a wonder of Central Plains art.
¥50 · 2–4 hours
Shaolin Temple Pagoda Forest
One of China's largest surviving groups of tomb pagodas, serving as the burial ground of monks through the ages. It contains tomb pagodas of brick, stone, and mixed brick-and-stone construction. The Tang-dynasty Tower of Master Fawan, located in the northwest of the forest, is the oldest in the Pagoda Forest. The Yugong Pagoda in the middle of the forest honours Fuyu, the only monk in Shaolin Temple's history to be granted the title of Duke (Guogong).
0.5 hours
Sanhuang Village Scenic Area
The travel writer Xu Xiake wrote: "Without reaching Sanhuang Village, one cannot call oneself a true Shaolin visitor." It is part of Mount Song Forest Park, and its main peak stands 1,512 metres above sea level, renowned for its natural beauty.
Included in the Shaolin Temple scenic area ticket · 3–4 hours
Henan Museum
If you know more about the cultural history of the Shang and Zhou dynasties and the origins of civilisation along the Yellow River, your visit will be all the richer. The museum holds a collection of 170,000 cultural relics and sets, with particular strengths in prehistoric artefacts, Shang and Zhou bronzes, ceramics and porcelain from successive dynasties, jade, and stone carvings. Among its ancient treasures, the more weathered a piece, the more it deserves respect, as it may have "witnessed" the very beginnings of Central Plains culture. The "cabbage" and "radish" on display are carved from ivory, a feat that amazes visitors. Their carving and colouring techniques are said to remain a mystery to this day.
Free · 2–4 hours
Songyang Academy
One of China's earliest and most influential academies, founded during the Northern Wei dynasty. Famous scholars including Sima Guang, Fan Zhongyan, and the Cheng brothers Cheng Yi and Cheng Hao lectured here in succession. Part of Sima Guang's "Comprehensive Mirror to Aid in Government" was completed here. The General's Cypress at Songyang Academy is one of China's oldest cypress trees, known locally as the "Primordial Cypress".
¥30 · 1–2 hours
Mount Shaoshi
The main peak of Shaoshi Mountain, Lianantian Peak, stands 1,512 metres above sea level and is the highest peak of Mount Song. Climbing Shaoshi Mountain requires following a crevice in the cliff face barely a metre wide, grabbing iron rings and pulling on steel cables, and its steepness is intimidating. But once you reach the summit and look out over the green mountains and rolling forests, you will feel as though you have arrived in a fairyland, and every hardship will have been worth it.
Included in the Shaolin Temple scenic area ticket · 1 day