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Song Shan (Mount Song) is located in Song Shan National Park betweenZhengzhou andLuoyang, roughly in the center ofHenan Province, eastChina. It has many peaks that stretch across the Taishi Mountains and harbors the Shaolin Temple.
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 UNESCOWorld 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.
Zhengzhou is capital ofHenan Province and the main gateway to Song Shan. It has an airport - Xinzheng International Airport - with services from all overChina. Trains also run in directly fromBeijing (11 hours). Song Shan is accessible by expressway and highway G207 in a couple of hours from Zhengzhou, less fromLuoyang.