Shaolin Temple (Shaolin Monastery)

The Dengfeng Shaolin Temple (also Shaolin Monastery or Shaolin Si) is home to the Shaolin practice, which dates back more than 1,500 years. Visit to see the tile-roofed halls, temple guardians, and Pagoda Forest, home to the pagoda-shaped tombs of long-dead monks. Don't miss one of the frequent kung fu shows, which highlight the monks’ flexibility and strength. A few foreigners commit to lengthy study courses, focused on kung fu and/or meditation.

• Home of the Shaolin Monks, the Shaolin Temple is a must for fans of martial arts and Chinese culture.

• There is a charge to enter the Shaolin Temple Scenic Area, which includes the temple, Pagoda Forest, and much of Mt. Song.

• Parts of the Shaolin Temple are accessible to travelers who use wheelchairs and some bathrooms are adapted.

The Shaolin Temple sits in Dengfeng, Henan Province, about 35 miles (57 kilometers) east of Luoyang and 55 miles (89 kilometers) west of Zhengzhou. Many travelers visit from Luoyang, as a side trip from Xian, which is about 90 minutes from Luoyang by bullet train or four hours by road. Both Luoyang and Zhengzhou have airports with connections across China.

The Shaolin Temple is open from morning until late afternoon, seven days a week, with regular kung fu performances throughout the day. It’s a popular choice with Chinese tour groups, so expect crowds around Lunar New Year, the first week in October, and on weekends. Buddha’s Birthday (generally in April or May) sees displays, rituals, and crowds to match.

While there are plenty of tourists wandering around the Shaolin Temple, it remains a working Zen Buddhist monastery, and boys from poor backgrounds come from across China to seek their fortune here. (There are also a few Shaolin nuns.) Life is strict, with early mornings, a meat-free diet, and training and meditation sessions even when it snows.

It depends. For kung fu fans, seeing the place where the Shaolin Monks perfected their spectacular art form is unmissable. However, history buffs may find the crowds of selfie-takers oppressive, particularly given that much of the temple burned down in 1928 and has been relatively recently rebuilt.

The Shaolin Temple is known for two things: It’s the home of Shaolin kung fu and where Bodhidharma, the founder of Zen Buddhism, spent many years. Today, however, almost everyone visits to see the Shaolin Monks in action on their home turf.

Yes, tourists can visit the Shaolin Temple—male and female, foreign and local alike. The monks even put on regular kung fu performances for their tourist audience. The temple is in Dengfeng, between Luoyang and Zhengzhou, so most travelers visit from one of the two cities.

The admission fee for the Shaolin Temple complex is 80 RMB. The Dengfeng railway station is still under construction, so most travelers visit by road from either Luoyang or Zhengzhou. Tours from Luoyang generally include the Longmen Grottoes UNESCO World Heritage Site and cost around US$100.

The Shaolin Temple operates a kung fu school next to the temple, known as the Song Mountain Kung Fu School. Foreigners can apply to study here under masters who have taught at the temple, but it’s almost impossible for a foreigner to become a Shaolin monk and practice there.

No, the Shaolin Temple does not have a formal dress code. However, it is a working monastery, so respectful dress is appropriate. All genders should wear clothes that cover shoulders, chest, belly, and upper legs—and comfortable shoes as there’s a lot of walking involved.