Song Shan Travel Guide
Song Shan (Mount Song) is located in Song Shan National Park between Zhengzhou and Luoyang, roughly in the center of Henan Province, east China. It has many peaks that stretch across the Taishi Mountains and harbors the Shaolin Temple.
- What is It?
- Song Shan is a multi-peak mountain in central Henan that rises to heights of 1,500m.
- When to Go
- In the summertime, between June and August.
- Nearest Town
- Luoyang, 75kms to the northwest.
- Don't Miss
- the superb hiking and the Shaolin Temple.
- Trivia
- Song Shan is one of China's five sacred mountains.
Of Song Shan's 36 separate peaks, the highest stretches up to almost 1,500m above sea level and has some good hiking and climbing. Various ledges and ladders have been put in place over precipitous drop-offs. Apart from the mountain, Song Shan is also home to many UNESCO World Heritage sites, including the Shaolin Temple.
This revered temple is the home of Zen Buddhism and Kung Fu and it features the largest collection of stupas in China. The Shaolin Temple lies within the Song Shan Geopark. Also here is the 6th century Zhongyue Temple, an ancient Taoist temple. This stunning temple is a 15-story, 40-meter-high behemoth and also has the distinction of being the oldest polygonal tower in China.
Travel to Song Shan - Getting There
Zhengzhou is capital of Henan Province and the main gateway to Song Shan. It has an airport - Xinzheng International Airport - with services from all over China. Trains also run in directly from Beijing (11 hours). Song Shan is accessible by expressway and highway G207 in a couple of hours from Zhengzhou, less from Luoyang.
