Introduction
Henan Province, 63km (40 miles) SW of Zhengzhou, 87km (53 miles) SE of Luoyang
Located south of the Yellow River in northwest Henan Province, Song Shan is the central mountain of the five holy Daoist mountains. Today, it's better known as the home of the Shaolin Temple (Shaolin Si), birthplace of the eponymous brand of kung-fu martial art (Shaolin gongfu) that has long been popular in Asia but has only in recent years become increasingly known to the Western world. The main town serving Song Shan is Dengfeng (meaning "Ascending to Bestow Honor"), named by the Tang dynasty empress Wu Zetian who preferred Song Shan to Tai Shan (Mount Tai) in Shandong Province, traditionally the favorite mountain of most emperors. Song Shan can be visited in conjunction with Luoyang, or as a day trip from Zhengzhou.
more local info
-
-
Songyue Ta (Songyue Pagoda)
Five kilometers (3 miles) northwest of town, nestled at the foot of the Taishi Shan Scenic Area (Fengjingqu) is the oldest surviving (A.D. 520)...
-
- Landmarks
-
-
-
Shaolin Si (Shaolin Monastery)
Most visitors these days come to Song Shan not for the mountain climbing but for this famous monastery, better known for its martial arts than...
-
-
-
Gaocheng Guanxing Tai
Located about 8km (5 miles) southeast of Dengfeng, this intriguing observatory is a welcome change for those who've had their fill of temples and...
-
- Landmarks
-
