Songyang Scenic Area

Songyang Scenic Area

The Songyang Scenic Area primarily centers around the Songyang Academy and encompasses nearby renowned attractions such as Huishan Temple, Laomu Cave, Songyue Temple Pagoda, Fawang Temple, and Junji Peak.

The Songyang Academy is one of the Four Great Ancient Academies of China, alongside Yingtian Academy, Yuelu Academy, and White Deer Grotto Academy. It is among the earliest established and most influential academies in the country. The academy was first built during the Northern Wei Dynasty, and eminent scholars such as Sima Guang, Fan Zhongyan, Cheng Yi, and Cheng Hao successively lectured here. The central axis architecture of the academy consists of five courtyards, with a rigorously arranged architectural complex that reflects the Confucian philosophy of “harmony between rites and music.” From the overall layout to each individual structure, the design adheres to traditional ritualistic order.

The Songyue Temple Pagoda is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Historic Monuments of Dengfeng in ‘The Centre of Heaven and Earth.’” Built during the Northern Wei Dynasty (around 525 AD), it is the oldest existing brick pagoda in China and also the world’s earliest cylindrical building. The Songyue Temple Pagoda is a perfect testament to the exchange and integration of Chinese and Central Asian architectural arts. It represents the origin and archetype of similar structures in East Asia and holds an irreplaceable position in the history of world architecture.

Junji Peak is the main peak of Mount Song, named for its towering height “reaching into the heavens.” From the summit of Junji Peak, visitors can gaze westward at the towering Shaoshi Mountain, southward at the facing Jishan Mountain, forward at the rushing Ying River, and northward at the Yellow River stretching like a belt. Leaning on the rocks and looking down, one sees peaks and valleys spread out below, rugged and uneven, evoking the feeling of “all other mountains appearing small.”

Address: 50 meters north of the intersection of Taishi Road and Shaoshi Road, Dengfeng City, Zhengzhou

Type: Mountain, Historical Site, Temple, Pagoda

Recommended Visit Duration: 1 day

Phone: 0371-62889259

Opening Hours:

7:30-17:30