The largely rebuilt Shàolín Temple is a commercialised victim of its own incredible success. A frequent target of war, the ancestral home of wǔshù was last torched in 1928, and the surviving halls – many of recent construction – are today assailed by relentless waves of selfie-shooting tour groups. The temple’s claim to fame, its dazzling gōngfū (kungfu) based on the movements of animals, insects and sometimes mythological figures, guarantees that martial arts clubs around the world make incessant pilgrimages.
A satisfying visit to the Shàolín Temple requires, rather than bestows, a Zen mentality (to handle the visiting hordes and the ticket prices). But if you explore away from the main areas, you could spend an entire day or two visiting smaller temples, climbing the surrounding peaks and eking out crumbs of solitude.
Coming through the main entrance, you’ll pass several wǔshù schools. On the right, about 500m in, is a square showcasing impressive daily 30-minute outdoor martial arts performances. Next door is the Wushu Training Centre also with shows featuring monks tumbling around and breaking sticks and metal bars over their heads.
The main temple itself is another 600m along. Many buildings such as the main Daxiong Hall (大雄宝殿, Dàxióng Bǎodiàn; reconstructed in 1985) were levelled by fire in 1928. Although the temple seems to have been founded in approximately AD 500 (accounts vary), some halls only date back as far as 2004. Among the oldest structures at the temple are the decorative arches and stone lions, both outside the main gate.
At the rear, the West Facing Hall (西方圣人殿, Xīfāng Shēngrén Diàn) contains the famous depressions in the floor, apocryphally the result of generations of monks practising their stance work, and huge colour frescos. Always be on the lookout for the ubiquitous Damo (Bodhidharma), whose bearded Indian visage gazes sagaciously from stelae or peeks out from temple halls.
Across from the temple entrance, the Arhat Hall within the Shífāng Chányuàn (十方禅院) contains legions of crudely fashioned luóhàn (monks who have achieved enlightenment and passed to nirvana at death). The Pagoda Forest (少林塔林, Shàolín Tǎlín), a cemetery of 248 brick pagodas including the ashes of eminent monks, is well worth visiting if you get here ahead of the crowds. Sadly, where visitors were once allowed to wander amongst the pagodas, the area is now only viewable via a wooden fence circuit.
As you face the Shàolín Temple, paths on your left lead up Wǔrǔ Peak (五乳峰, Wǔrǔ Fēng). Flee the tourist din by heading towards the peak to see the cave (达摩洞, Dámó Dòng) where Damo (Bodhidharma) meditated for nine years; it’s 4km uphill. From the base, you may spot the peak and the cave, marked by a large bodhisattva figure. En route to the cave, detour to the Chūzǔ Temple (初祖庵; Chūzǔ Ān), a quiet and battered counterpoint to the main temple. Its main structure is the oldest wooden one in the province (c AD 1125).
At 1512m above sea level and reachable on the Sōngyáng Cableway (Sōngyáng Suǒdào; ¥60 return, 20 minutes), Shàoshì Shān (少室山) is the area’s tallest peak. The area beyond the cable car is home to the peak and Eŕzǔ Nunnery (二祖庵, Eŕzǔ Ān; ¥2) with four wells where you can sample its various tasting waters (sour, sweet, peppery and bitter).
There’s also a scenic trek to neighbouring Sānhuángzhài (三皇寨), taking about six hours return, covering 15km and going past craggy rock formations along a path that often hugs the cliff to the 782-step Rope Bridge (连天吊桥; Lián Tiān Diào Qiáo). To begin the hike, look for the small Chinese sign which leads to Sānhuángzhài. It’s a long and hard-going hike, so for safety reasons, monks recommend trekking with a friend.
If you’d prefer an easier hike, use the Shàolín Cableway (少林索道, Shàolín Suǒdào; ¥60 return, 40 minutes) which conveys you to Sānhuángzhài. From there, it’s a shorter hike to the bridge. Both cableways are just beyond the Pagoda Forest. Note that the bridge may be closed at times for repair or during inclement weather. Start hikes early, as you don’t want to be caught out in the dark.
To reach the Shàolín Temple, take a bus (¥3, 15 minutes) from Dēngfēng’s west bus station (西站, xīzhàn) on Zhongyue Dajie to the drop-off point, or bus 8 (¥2) from the old bus station. The temple compound office is across the road; buggies (¥10, from 8am to 6pm) run from here to the main temple entrance, or you can walk (20 minutes). Alternatively, take a minibus from either Luòyáng or Zhèngzhōu (¥20 to ¥27, 1½ to 2½ hours) to the drop-off. From the temple, return buses leave from the drop-off point (last bus at around 8pm). A taxi to the temple from Dēngfēng will cost ¥30 (unofficial fare, no meter).
