Itinerary · 7 days · active
Kung fu and martial arts pilgrimage in 7 days
Beijing, then the Shaolin Temple at Dengfeng, then Wudangshan — the two great schools of Chinese martial arts.
Chinese martial arts have two spiritual addresses: Shaolin Temple in Henan, where Chan Buddhism and physical discipline fused in the 5th century, and Wudang Mountain in Hubei, where the Taoist internal arts — including what would become taijiquan — developed across the Song and Ming dynasties. This itinerary takes both in sequence, with Beijing as a convenient entry and exit point. Non-practitioners will find the architecture and mountain scenery reason enough to come.
Day by day
Day 1 · beijing
Arrive Beijing
Arrive and settle in. Lama Temple in the afternoon — its collection of Tibetan Buddhist iconography is relevant context for the religious dimensions of the martial traditions you are about to visit. Evening walk through the hutongs near Nanluoguxiang.
Attractions: lama-temple, nanluoguxiang
Day 2 · beijing
Beijing — preparation day
Morning: Tiananmen and the Forbidden City for historical grounding. Afternoon free for gear shopping — lightweight layers for Wudang's steep paths, proper footwear. Evening departure for Zhengzhou on the overnight train, or high-speed train the next morning.
Attractions: forbidden-city, tiananmen-square
Day 3 · dengfeng
Travel to Dengfeng — Shaolin Temple
High-speed rail Beijing to Zhengzhou (2.5 hours), then bus or taxi to Dengfeng (1.5 hours). The Shaolin Temple complex includes the Historic Monuments of Dengfeng (UNESCO), the Pagoda Forest, and the martial arts training grounds. Arrive by noon to allow a full afternoon on site.
Attractions: shaolin-temple, dengfeng-historic-monuments
Day 4 · dengfeng
Dengfeng — Shaolin morning, then travel to Wudangshan
Dawn at the Pagoda Forest before the first tour groups. Morning Kung Fu performance show (usually 10 am and 2 pm;). Afternoon bus back to Zhengzhou, then high-speed rail or overnight train towards Shiyan/Wudangshan.
Day 5 · wudangshan
Arrive Wudangshan — lower temple circuit
Wudangshan station is at the base of the mountain. Morning walk to the Purple Cloud Palace (Zixiao Gong) and the South Cliff Palace. The mountain has a cable car if ascent is not manageable; the full walk up the stone path takes 3–4 hours. Evening rest in a pilgrim guesthouse on the mountain.
Attractions: wudang-mountain-temple
Day 6 · wudangshan
Golden Summit and Taoist ceremony
Early morning ascent to the Golden Hall at the summit, ideally before 8 am to catch sunrise. Taoist monks perform morning ceremonies — respectful observation is generally permitted. Afternoon descent and departure towards Beijing by high-speed rail via Wuhan.
Day 7 · beijing
Return to Beijing — depart
Arrive Beijing in the morning if an overnight connection was taken. Final half-day for any unfinished business — the National Museum or a hutong walk. Depart from Capital Airport or Beijing West Station.
Budget guide (CNY per day)
| Backpacker | ¥400 |
| Mid-range | ¥950 |
| Comfortable | ¥2200 |
Mountain guesthouses at Wudangshan range from CNY 80 to 500 per night; Shaolin entry is roughly CNY 100 all-inclusive.
Cities covered
Attractions covered
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