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Zhongyue Temple in Dengfeng, Zhengzhou
Attractions Overview: The Center of Daoism
Attraction Type: Temple; Cultural
Chinese Name: 中岳庙
English Name: Zhongyue Temple
Best Time to Visit: All Year Round
Recommended Visiting Time: 2 Hours
Open Hours: 08:00-18:00
Admission Fee: 30 RMB / Person
Address in English: Mount Songshan, Dengfeng City, Zhengzhou City, Henan Province
Address in Chinese: 河南省郑州市登封市嵩山
Why is Zhongyue Temple So Special?
Zhongyue Temple is a Taoist temple. Covering a total area of 110,000 square meters, it is the largest and best preserved ancient architectural complex among all the buildings located on the China’s Five Great Mountains. The temple was first built in Qin Dynasty (221BC-207BC), and was once named as “Taishi Temple”. It was rebuilt again under the reign of Emperor Qianlong in Qing Dynasty, and still remains unchanged in style and size since that time.
Where is Zhongyue Temple?
Zhongyue Temple is a Taoist temple located at the southern foot of Songshan Mountain, about 4 kilometers east of Dengfeng City. As a major scenic spot in Mount Songshan National Park, Zhongyue Temple was included into World Heritage List by UNESCO in 2010. It is a ideal place to visit.
How to Get to Zhongyue Temple?
Travel with China Dragon Tours (top recommended)
If you want to get rid of hustle of transportation and troublesome navigation, you can book a private tour package which covers visiting, dining and transfer from us. Our local tour guide and driver will escort you to Zhongyue Temple with speed and convenience, and take care of all the details. You just need to focus on travel.
Independent Travel
For independent travelers you can
By Coaches: Take coaches to Dengfeng from Zhengzhou Coach Station and then take taxis there.
By Bus: Take No.2 bus in Dengfeng and get off at zhongyuemiao station
Main Attractions in Zhongyue Temple
Cultural Relics
Numerous culture relics can be found here, from more than 400 ancient buildings of Qing Royal Palace Style including halls, palaces, towers, cabinets, lanes, pavilions, platforms, porches and yards, to 335 cypresses planted since the Han to the Song Dynasties.
Taishi Towers
Built in the year 118, Taishi Towers are the symbolic gate of Zhongyue Temple. The Taishi Towers measure 3.92 meters in height. The carving of the four sides was made with the technique of Jiandi Ping Diao There are about 50 pictures of people, horses and carriages, sword dances, dragons, tigers, tortoises, elephants, goat heads and so on.
Temple Fair
The temple fair is a tradition in Dengfeng to hold the temple fair every year on the tenth day of the third month and tenth day of the tenth month in Chinese lunar calendar. Some customaries are still popular today such as “tethering clay baby” for women who wish for a baby and ”touching the ironman” for children to dispel sickness. During the temple fair, people will have activities such as Lion Dance and Fire Dragon Dance.
Useful Travel Tips
- Temple Fair is held twice every year on the tenth day of the third month and the tenth day of the tenth month in Chinese lunar calendar (early April and early November in western calendar) and lasts for ten days.
- East of Zhongyue Temple are Luya Temple and Luya Falls. West of it are the Songyuesi Tower and the Songyang Academy which was one of the four great academies in ancient China. They are all worth visiting.
Nearby Attractions
- Fawang Temple in Dengfeng, Zhengzhou
- Songyang Academy in Dengfeng, Zhengzhou
- Observation Platform in Dengfeng, Zhengzhou
- Mount Songshan in Dengfeng, Zhengzhou
- Henan Museum
- Shaolin Temple (Shaolinsi) in Dengfeng, Zhengzhou
Edited by Emily Wang/王海玲