Dengfeng, Henan

Dengfeng Facts

Chinese Name: 登封 (dēng fēng)
Population: 717,400
Area: 1,220 square kilometers (471 square miles)
Location: on the southwest of Zhengzhou, Henan Province, south central China
Area Code: 0371
Zip Code: 452470
GDP (2018): CNY 70.3 billion (USD 10.6 billion)

Famous for Shaolin Temple & Songshan Mountain

Dengfeng is a county-level city under the jurisdiction of Zhengzhou, the capital of Henan Province. It was called Yangcheng and Songyang in ancient times. Located in the central part of China, it is the seat of the Center of Heaven and Earth. Ancient Chinese people thought that this was the center of the universe, and Chinese civilizations originated from here. Dengfeng Henan has a long history and a splendid culture. Rich in tourism resources, Dengfeng attracts millions of travelers. Shaolin Temple in Dengfeng is the birthplace of Chinese Kung Fu, and known as the “First Temple in the World”. Songyang Academy is one of the four major academies in ancient China. And Zhongyue Temple is the largest Taoist temple among the Five Great Mountains. Songshan Mountain is also a good place to appreciate the beautiful scenery.

Best Places to Visit & Top Things to Do in Dengfeng

You may need 2-3 days for Dengfeng travelling.

The Centre of Heaven and Earth

With the longest span, this building group constitutes an architectural history of the ancient Central Plains region for three thousand years. These following places are worth travelling:

Shaolin Temple
As the birthplace of Chinese Kung Fu, travelers can not miss Shaolin Temple when travelling Dengfeng. The Shakya Mani Hall is the core building of the entire temple, and Sutra Depository is the place where the monasteries preach. The largest Forest of Pagodas is at the foot of Shaoshi Mountain. Chuzu Convent is located on the north of the Forest of Pagodas which is the oldest wooden structure in the remains of Henan Province. Travelers can fully enjoy Shaolin culture and Chinese Kung Fu, visit long-history buildings and view beautiful scenery in the temple.

Songshan Mountain
Songshan Mountain, also known as Zhong Yue, is known as one of the Five Great Mountains in China. It is the birthplace of China Zen Buddhism and consists of Shaoshi Mountain and Taishi Mountain. There are many valleys, caves and waterfalls, which provides travelers with a unique and wonderful experience. In autumn, millions of travelers go to Songshan Mountain to enjoy the beautiful scenery of maple leaves.

Zhongyue Temple
Surrounded by mountains, with a strict layout and magnificent scale, it is the largest and most intact ancient architectural complex in Henan Province. There are 73 ancient inscriptions, more than 300 ancient cypresses. Travelers can visit Taishi Tower, the Gate of China in wooden structure and Zhongyue Hall. Travelers can acknowledge the history and culture of this temple, and have an unforgettable memory of the magnificent building.

Songyang Academy
It is one of the four major academies in ancient China, praised as the specimen for studying ancient Chinese academies architecture, education system and Confucian culture. As a representative work of clerical script, Datang Tablet with legendary stories attract many travelers. Travelers can also visit the “Three Generals”, three oldest and largest cypresses existing in China with more than 2,000-year history.

Best Time to Visit Dengfeng

The best time to visit Dengfeng is from March to May and September to November with an average temperature of 12-22.5°C (53.6-72.5℉). Dengfeng Henan belongs to the warm temperate continental monsoon climate with distinct four seasons. The annual average temperature is 14.2 °C (57.56℉), and there are more rainfalls in June and August. June to August are very hot with an average temperature of 24-33.3°C (75.2-91.94℉).

The average annual temperature of Songshan Mountain is 10.2 °C (50.36℉). In spring from March to May, the flowers will be full in bloom, and the autumn from September to November is the best season to appreciate maple leaves.

Dengfeng Weather Forecast

Transportation

Dengfeng is about 80 km (49.7 mi) from Zhengzhou, the capital of Henan Province. So travelers can choose to get to Zhengzhou first, and then transfer to Dengfeng. Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport is about 100 km (62.1 mi) from the city center of Dengfeng. Travelers can take Dengfeng Airport Bus Line which departs at 11:10, 13:40, 16:40 and 18:40 to Dengfeng Henan. Travelers can also take trains to Zhengzhou Railway Station or Zhengzhou East Railway Station, and then take a coach at Zhengzhou Long-distance Bus Center Station, Zhengzhou North Bus Station and Zhengzhou Bus Station. The ticket fare is CNY 25-35.

Within the city area, there is no metro at present. There are many buses available to scenic spots. The taxi will charge CNY 25-35 to Shaolin Temple, CNY 15-25 to Songshan Mountain. Travelers can also take travel bus at Dengfeng Bus Station to Shaolin Temple, the ticket fare is CNY 5, taking 40 minutes to the destination.

Best Dengfeng Food to Try

Pickled Mustard, Menzi, Shaolin Temple Vegetarian Cake, Dengfeng Tea and other local food in Dengfeng Henan are worth tasting.

Pickled Mustard
It takes high-quality round mustard which grows in the special climate of Songshan Mountain as the main material. After pickling, it maintains the original flavor and nutritional value of mustard. Due to its special taste, it is praised as the “First Dish in Songshan Mountain”.

Menzi
It is a special dish popular in the eastern part of Dengfeng Henan. Add starch, minced meat, vermicelli and some ingredients into the bone soup, and then boil them together until they are jelly, and dry them naturally. It tastes chewy and full of fragrant scent of meat.

Shaolin Temple Vegetarian Cake
Cooking with vegan butter, it tastes crispy and delicious with low sugar and fat-free. It is very popular among travelers and it has the effect to replenish body energy.

- Last updated on Jun. 14, 2022 -