Mount Song Guide: The Perfect Encounter for Kung Fu Fans and Lazy Travelers

Mount Song Guide: The Perfect Encounter for Kung Fu Fans and Lazy Travelers 🏞️ I swore to be a heroine, but ended up a 'kneeling' tribe member! Mount Song taught me a lesson 😂 Girls! I just got back from Mount Song, and this guide + personal experience, filled with laughter and tears, guarantees you'll go up smiling and come down 'on your knees' (don't ask me how I know) ~ 🥋 Must-Experience: Shaolin Kung Fu, Truly Up Close and Personal When you come to Mount Song, how can you not see Shaolin Kung Fu? 🤸‍♀️ · Martial Arts Performance: Watching the warrior monks perform at the martial arts hall, their staffs whizzed through the air. I couldn't help but exclaim 'Wow!', and the young monk even winked at me! So cute! · Lixue Pavilion: Hearing the story of the Second Patriarch Huike severing his arm to seek enlightenment, I looked at my trembling legs after climbing the mountain, and thought... 'Mine's still light compared to that.' · Thousand-Buddha Hall: On the ground, there are foot indentations from centuries of warrior monks practicing, deep enough to fit half a fist! I tried a horse stance and fell in three seconds... Truly, I can't keep my feet on the ground! 🏔️ Must-See Scenery: Sanhuang Village and Book Cliff, a Step Across 2 Billion Years 'If you haven't been to Sanhuang Village, you're not a true Shaolin visitor!' The geological wonders here are absolutely stunning! · Book Cliff: The towering cliffs resemble giant standing books, said to have been formed by geological evolution 2 billion years ago. I touched the rock face and sighed, 'This book is really hard, I can't 'chew' through it!' · Hiking Experience: Entering from the Sanhuang Village entrance and exiting at Shaolin Temple helps avoid the crowds. But girls, that 'Hero Slope' is truly not an empty name; after climbing it, I just wanted to rename myself 'Softie Slope'. · Skywalk: Walking on the skywalk, with a bottomless abyss beneath my feet, I gripped the railing tightly, my inner monologue screaming: 'Mom, I want to go home!' But the photos turned out truly ethereal. 🍁 Autumn/Winter Exclusive: Mountains of Red Leaves and Tech Spectacles · Red Leaf Season: In October, Mount Song is ablaze with color. The 3rd Mount Song Red Leaf Festival just kicked off in the Shaolin Scenic Area. I hiked along a route of about 7 kilometers; the mountainsides were covered in vibrant hues, truly beautiful beyond words! · Robot Kung Fu Show: In the Shaolin Scenic Area, I saw robots performing Shaolin Kung Fu! Each move was precise and powerful, like a 'dialogue between ancient and modern' across time. The kids next to me were wide-eyed with amazement. · Drone Show: In the Songyang Scenic Area, thousands of drones wove patterns of Mount Song, academies, and more in the night sky. When the words 'I Love China' appeared, the applause was thunderous—it was truly spectacular. 🚡 Verified Routes: Choose Between Lazy Traveler or Expert Route Type | Suitable For | Highlights | My Experience ---|---|---|--- Shaoshi Mountain Classic Route (Sanhuang Village → Shaolin Temple) | Moderate fitness, wants to see highlights | Book Cliff, Shaolin Temple, Martial Arts Performance all in one go | A "truly worth it" trip: At first, I thought the shuttle bus was expensive, but later I was glad I didn't walk those 6 kilometers! The Shaolin Temple entrance was packed, so entering from Sanhuang Village was a smart move. Taishi Mountain Challenge Route (Songyang Academy → Junji Peak) | Fitness kings, hiking enthusiasts | Mount Song's highest peak, a great sense of accomplishment upon reaching the summit | Halfway up, I kept asking, "How much further?" When I heard "Almost there," I knew I'd been tricked... But at the moment of reaching the summit, I truly understood the meaning of "Junji" (Extreme Peak). Cultural Experience Route (Shaolin Temple + Songyang Academy) | Culture enthusiasts, family outings | Kung Fu + Confucianism, experience two cultures at once | At Songyang Academy, I pretended to be a student, touched the thousand-year-old cypress tree, and prayed to become a top student (even though I graduated years ago). 💰 Money-Saving Tips & Pitfall Avoidance Guide 1. Tickets: Shaolin Temple Scenic Area ticket is 80 yuan. Online purchases require an ID card; if you don't have one, you can only buy on-site. 2. Transportation: Take a bus from Zhengzhou to Dengfeng, then a taxi to the foot of the mountain. The return trip from Shaolin Temple exit to Sanhuang Village parking lot costs about 30 yuan by taxi. 3. Gear: Comfortable shoes! Comfortable shoes! Comfortable shoes! Important things said three times. Hiking poles are optional; I relied on mine to survive. 4. Food: There aren't many small shops on the mountain, and prices are what you'd expect. Bring some dry food and water, but don't carry too much, or you'll feel like you're carrying a mountain while climbing. 5. Best Time: Spring and autumn are the best seasons to visit. If you want to see red leaves, mid-to-late October is perfect. 💝 Heartfelt Summary Climbing Mount Song was indeed tiring, but the live performance of "Zen Music Shaolin Grand Ceremony" in the valley truly amazed me and made me forget my fatigue. Warrior monks practicing kung fu and wielding staffs under the moonlight, with lights illuminating the entire mountain forest—that feeling... truly indescribable. Mount Song is not just a mountain; it's the birthplace of kung fu, a carrier of culture, and a living textbook of geology. Standing on the summit, feeling the autumn breeze, and gazing at the mountains covered in red leaves, all fatigue vanished. This autumn, hurry to Mount Song and experience the charm of the "Center of Heaven and Earth"! Remember to wear good shoes ~ 👟 --- ✨ Follow me to unlock more fun and pitfall-free travel destinations! ✨