Shaolin Temple
Shaolin Temple is situated in the heart of Mount Songshan. It is one of the five famous Sacred Mountains in China, and is about 90 kilometers southwest of Zhengzhou urban area. Shaolin temple is located in the dense forest at the northern foot of Shaoshi Mountain, a major part of Songshan, hence its name Shaolin Temple. It is regarded as the ancestral temple of the Zen Sect of the Chinese Buddhism, the origin of the world-famous Shaolin Kungfu. The temple is a top tourist attraction in China, also known as the "No.1 Famous Temple in the world".

The temple was built in the Northern Wei Dynasty with a history of more than 1,500 years. It covers an area of over 30,000 square meters. Right here Bodhidharma , the founder of the Zen Sect of the lndian Buddhism, once sat in meditation in a natural mountain cave for 9 years and preached Zen in China for the first time. So Bodhidharma is respected as the Founder of the Chinese Zen Sect and Shaolin Temple is respected as the birthplace of Chinese Zen Sect. The temple was in its golden period in the Tang Dynasty. The prosperity was attributed to the historical fact that 13 Shaolin monks good at cudgel fighting bravely rescued Li Shimin, the second emperor of the Tang Dynasty. So the Shaolin Kung Fu is named after the temple and the temple wins a great fame with its Kungfu. The main scenic spots are Permanent courtyard, the Forest of Stupas, the First Founder's Hall, the Second Founder's Hall and Dharma Cave, etc.

Forest of Pagodas
The Forest of Pagodas is located some 500 meters west of Shaolin Temple. It is the cemetery of the senior monks of different dynasties. It has the largest number of Buddhist pagodas in China, with about 240 pagodas from the Tang Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty. The pagodas vary in height, from 1 to 7 stories and with the greatest height being 15 meters; in building material, from stone to brick; and in shapes. The structures, mostly with tablet inscriptions and carvings of Buddhist images, are a great treasure of the ancient architecture and carving arts of China.