Plan your trip to Shaolin Temple? It is advisable to combine Shaolin Temple with a added trip to Zhongyue Temple and Songyang Academy in Dengfeng, a county-level city under the jurisdiction of Zhengzhou, the capital city of Henan Province.
Dengfeng is located at the southern foot of Mount Song. Mount Song is one of the five sacred mountains in China. In history, Dengfeng was regarded as a spiritual center due to the fact it was home to several important religious sites including Shaolin Temple (Buddhism), Zhongyue Temple (Taoism) and Songyang Academy (Confucianism). The major religions in China are converged here in Dengfeng, which has a poetic name, the spiritual “centre of heaven and earth”.
In 2010, several of the most famous sites around Dengfeng were listed under the title “Historic Monuments of Dengfeng in “The Centre of Heaven and Earth”.” The well known sites include Shaolin Temple, Zhongyue Temple and Songyang Academy.
To visit Zhongyue Temple, you need to go to Dengfeng City, which is located between Luoyang (80km) and Zhengzhou (70km). Travel overland to Dengfeng is the only way either from Luoyang and Zhengzhou. Numerous buses shuttle to Dengfeng from Luoyang and Zhengzhou. It is also quite easy to hitchhike along National Highway 207 from Luoyang to Dengfeng or Expressway S85 from Zhengzhou to Dengfeng.
Usually a visit to Zhongyue Temple is often arranged after a trip to Shaolin Temple since Dengfeng City is only 12km to the east of Shaolin Temple. Zhongyue Temple is 5km to the north of Dengfeng city center.
Well, please follow me into the mysterious world of Zhongyue Temple in Dengfeng.
After visiting Shaolin Temple, I walk across the national highway No.207 passing by the entrance to Shaolin Temple aboard the Public Bus No.8 running from Shaolin Temple to the city center of Dengfeng. Now it is late February, still a low tourist season and there are not so many passengers on the bus.
There are not so many passengers on the bus from Shaolin Temple to Dengfeng. I soon arrive at Dengfeng, which is located at the southern foot of Mount Song with a population of 640,000 (2010). It has a total area of 1220 Square kilometers, 56km long from east to west and 35.5km from north to south. Dengfeng City is regarded as a city of China’s Martial Arts as well as a city where three Chinese religions are converged including Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism.
The city of Dengfeng is quite clean and well organized.
It was originally built in Eastern Zhou Dynasy in 770 BC. In Wei Dynasty, it was renamed Zhongyue Temple and became a taoist temple. Zhongyue Temple was further expanded in the successive dyansities of Tang, Song, Ming and Qing.
Entrance fee: RMB 30
Zhongyue Temple is a group of ancient structures. Inside the temple, there are totally 11 yards and gates from the first gate to the last hall. By the both sides of the axis, there are six palaces and yards.
Entering the Temple, the first architecture you will see is “The First Gate of the Famous Mountain”.
A delicate pavilion with double octagonal eaves
Tip: Hassle-free Shaolin Temple and Luoyang Guided Tours
If you don’t want to go the do-it-yourself route and prefer the hassle-free escorted tours, here are some options for Luoyang Guided Tours:
Luoyang One Day Private Tour Starting US$ 60 per person
Luoyang- Shaolin One Day Private Tour Starting US$ 60 per person
Luoyang – Shaolin 2 Day Private Tour Packages Starting US$ 150 per person
Beijing Luoyang 2 Day Round Trip Tour Starting US$ 280 per person
Beijing Luoyang Shaolin Temple 2 Day Round Trip Tour Starting US$ 290
Beijing Luoyang ( Shaolin ) 3 Day Tour – Round Trip by Flight Starting US$ 610 per person
Further Readings
Dengfeng City
Zhongyue Temple
Songyang Academy
Shaolin Temple
Kung Fu Show at Shaolin Temple
Top 10 Attractions in Luoyang
Where to Stay in Luoyang
Luoyang Museum Guide
Museum of Luoyang Eastern Zhou Royal Horse and Chariot Pits
How to visit White Horse Temple
How to Visit Shaolin Temple
Longmen Grottoes Travel Tips
Kung Fu Show at Shaolin Temple