🏛️ 5A National Attractions
Last verified 26 Jul 2025
Shanghai may monopolise skyscrapers, but Zhengzhou's single 5A site is the birthplace of Zen kung-fu and a UNESCO World-Heritage inscription in one sweep.
1 Quick Metrics
Total 5A sites
1 (official Henan list)
📍
UNESCO share
1 / 1 (Historic Monuments of Dengfeng, inscribed 2010)
World heritage sites
Ticket range
¥80 basic • ¥140 all-area combo (temple + Pagoda Forest + cable)
Entry fees
Real-name booking
Required—mini-program "嵩山少林预约" opens 7 days ahead
Advance booking required
Transit reach
65 km SW of Zhengzhou East HSR; 80 min express bus (¥28)
Transportation access
2 Why It Matters
Zen + kung-fu cradle — Shaolin Temple fused Indian Chan Buddhism with martial defence in the 6th century; monks' staff drills still echo in the practice yards.
Stone-script history book — Pagoda Forest's 240 brick stupas trace 1 400 years of funerary art, from Sui lotus bas-reliefs to Ming octagons.
"Centre of Heaven & Earth" — Songshan's astronomic altars and Taoist shrines earned UNESCO status, anchoring Henan mythology that heaven meets earth here.
3 Pro Tips
1
Sunrise slot — pick the 07 : 30 temple entry; kung-fu rehearsal on drill-stage finishes by 08 : 15.
2
Combo hack — ¥140 ticket bundles Temple, Pagoda Forest and Sanhuangzhai cable-up; saves ¥30 vs piecemeal.
3
Trail or cable? — ascend 1 600 steps to Sanhuangzhai sky-bridge (≈ 45 min) or ride 7-min cable; descend on foot for cliff-gate photos.
4
Return bus — last Shaolin → Zhengzhou coach leaves 18 : 00; buy token at counter before 17 : 30 to guarantee seat.
5
Dress code — shoulders covered inside Dharma Hall; free robe-cape rental (deposit ¥50) for photography allowed outside.
4 The Full 5A List
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Shaolin Temple · Dengfeng
Songshan Shaolin Scenic Area / 嵩山少林景区
Shaolin Temple (495 AD), Pagoda Forest, Sanhuangzhai sky-bridge; UNESCO (2010); ¥80 basic / ¥140 combo; 07 : 30 – 18 : 30; book via "嵩山少林预约" mini-prog; bus from Zhengzhou East HSR: 80 min ¥28.