Zhongyue Temple and Songyang Academy

Zhongyue Temple and Songyang Academy lie at the southern foot of Mount Songshan near Dengfeng, about 80 km (50 miles) southwest of central Zhengzhou in Henan province. Songshan is the Central Peak of China's Five Great Mountains, and Zhongyue Temple was the site where emperors performed rites to the mountain. It is a quieter alternative to the crowds at Shaolin Temple, and the two can be combined in a single day. The trip takes about 1.5-2 hours each way by coach from Zhengzhou to Dengfeng for about ¥25-40, followed by a taxi of about 10 minutes to Zhongyue Temple for ¥15-25.

The temple is a large walled complex of courtyards, gate towers and halls stretching along a central axis, with ancient cypress trees that are among the older living trees in the area. Stone tablets, iron guardian figures and carved steles give the site a heavy historical atmosphere. Visitors typically spend about 1.5-2 hours walking through the courtyards. Songyang Academy, one of the four great academies of ancient China, and Fawang Temple are nearby, and a DiDi between sites costs about ¥15-30. The Songyang Academy grounds hold old cypresses and study halls where Neo-Confucian scholars once taught, while Fawang Temple is known for its brick pagoda, among the oldest in the region.

A sensible itinerary reaches Dengfeng by mid-morning, visits Zhongyue Temple first while light is good, then heads to Songyang Academy and Fawang Temple after lunch. Dengfeng town has noodle shops and small restaurants serving Henan staples such as braised noodles and steamed buns, and simple stalls sit near the temple gate. The best seasons are March-May and September-November, when the cypress groves are pleasant and temperatures are mild. Summer heat and winter cold can make long courtyard walks tiring. Because the sites are spread apart, visitors should arrange taxis in Dengfeng and confirm the last coach back to Zhengzhou, which leaves in the early evening. Combining this day with Shaolin Temple is possible but makes for a long, rushed day, so many visitors pick one main site.