Shaolin Temple and the Pagoda Forest

Shaolin sits at the foot of Song Shan, a monastery that is both a religious site and the centre of a martial arts industry. The temple halls run up the slope in the usual sequence, with worn stone flagstones, old steles and a hall whose floor is dented where generations trained. A short walk beyond is the Pagoda Forest, a burial ground of several hundred brick and stone pagodas raised over abbots and senior monks across many centuries, each a few metres high and no two alike. The valley around is filled with martial arts schools, and lines of students drilling in the open are part of the scene.

What you actually see

• The Pagoda Forest - hundreds of small brick memorial pagodas standing in a pine grove.
• The temple halls - the working monastery, its steles and the worn training floor.
• The demonstration hall - a short scheduled martial arts performance included in the ticket.
• The hillside path - the steep climb above the temple towards the Dharma cave.

When to go

Spring and autumn. Arrive early: coaches from Luoyang and Zhengzhou land in mid-morning and the temple courtyards are small. Demonstrations run several times a day on a timetable posted at the hall. The Pagoda Forest is best in low light, early or late, when the brickwork picks up some shadow.

Honest expectations

This is a busy, commercial site: shuttle carts, souvenir stalls, photo props and a scripted performance. Much of the temple was rebuilt after fire damage long ago, so little of the fabric is genuinely old. The Pagoda Forest is fenced and viewed from the path. Expect crowds and a long walk in from the gate.

Nearby

The Songyang Academy and the old Songyue pagoda are on the other side of Dengfeng.