Dengfeng (; postal: Tengfeng) is a

county-level city A county-level municipality (), county-level city or county city, formerly known as prefecture-controlled city (1949–1970: ; 1970–1983: ), is a county-level administrative division of the People's Republic of China. County-level ...

Henan Province Henan (; or ; ; alternatively Honan) is a landlocked province of China, in the central part of the country. Henan is often referred to as Zhongyuan or Zhongzhou (), which literally means "central plain" or "midland", although the name is al ...

, South Central China, it is under the administration of the

prefecture-level city A prefecture-level city () or prefectural city is an administrative division of the People's Republic of China (PRC), ranking below a province and above a county in China's administrative structure. During the Republican era, many of China ...

of Zhengzhou. Dengfeng has an area of and a population of 630,000. It occupies the southwestern corner of Zhengzhou and is its westernmost

county-level division The administrative divisions of China have consisted of several levels since ancient times, due to China's large population and geographical area. The constitution of China provides for three levels of government. However in practice, there ...

. Dengfeng is located at the foot of the

Mount Song Mount Song (, "lofty mountain") is an isolated mountain range in north central China's Henan Province, along the southern bank of the Yellow River. It is known in literary and folk tradition as the central mountain of the Five Great Mountains o ...

, one of the most sacred mountains in China. The city is one of the most renowned spiritual centers of China, and is home to various religious institutions and famous temples such as the Taoist Zhongyue Temple, the Buddhist

Shaolin Temple Shaolin Monastery (少林寺 ''Shàolínsì''), also known as Shaolin Temple, is a renowned monastic institution recognized as the birthplace of Chan Buddhism and the cradle of Shaolin Kung Fu. It is located at the foot of Wuru Peak of the So ...

(a renowned center for martial arts), as well as the Confucian Songyang Academy and the Gaocheng Observatory, hence its poetic expression derived from Chinese literature as the spiritual "center of heaven and earth". Parts of the city were inscribed on the

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...

World Heritage List A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for ...

in 2010.

History

The first

Xia Dynasty The Xia dynasty () is the first dynasty in traditional Chinese historiography. According to tradition, the Xia dynasty was established by the legendary Yu the Great, after Shun, the last of the Five Emperors, gave the throne to him. In tradit ...

capital, Yangcheng, was built west of Gaocheng Township on the Yin River under the sacred

. The famous

Shaolin Monastery Shaolin Monastery (少林寺 ''Shàolínsì''), also known as Shaolin Temple, is a renowned monastic institution recognized as the birthplace of Chan Buddhism and the cradle of Shaolin Kung Fu. It is located at the foot of Wuru Peak of the So ...

, traditionally considered the origin of

Zen Zen ( zh, t=禪, p=Chán; ja, text= 禅, translit=zen; ko, text=선, translit=Seon; vi, text=Thiền) is a school of Mahayana Buddhism that originated in China during the Tang dynasty, known as the Chan School (''Chánzong'' 禪宗), and ...

, is located in Dengfeng where they teach adults as well as children martial arts. It is also a famous tourist attraction.

Administrative divisions

As of 2012, the city is divided to 3 subdistricts, 8 towns and 5 townships. ;Subdistricts ;Towns ;Townships

UNESCO World Heritage Site

In 2010, UNESCO inscribed several of the most renowned sites of Dengfeng onto its

under the title "Historic Monuments of Dengfeng in 'The Center of Heaven and Earth'." The World Heritage Site includes several historic gates, temples (including the renowned

), a Confucian academy and the Gaocheng Observatory:Historic Monuments of Dengfeng in "The Center of Heaven and Earth." UNESCO World Heritage Center
/ref> *Taishi Que () Gates: Gates built in front of what would become the Zhongyue Temple in 118 AD, with carved reliefs of animals, trees, and spirits. *Zhongyue Temple: A Taoist temple constructed in the 5th century, during

Kou Qianzhi Kou Qianzhi () (365–448) was a Taoist reformer who reenvisioned many of the ceremonies and rites of the Way of the Celestial Master form of Taoism and reformulated its theology into a new movement known as The Northern Celestial Masters. His in ...

's reforms. Includes Juni Hall, a large hall for sacrificing to the gods, two stone statues built in 118 AD that are the oldest surviving stone statues in China. *Shaoshi Que Gates: Han Dynasty gates (dating to 123 AD), with pictures of horses galloping, a circus, and cuju, and ancient football game. *Qimu Que Gates: A pair of gates built in 123 AD, with images that depict scenes of cockfights, floods, and visitation by the

Roman Empire The Roman Empire ( la, Imperium Romanum ; grc-gre, Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων, Basileía tôn Rhōmaíōn) was the post- Republican period of ancient Rome. As a polity, it included large territorial holdings around the Mediter ...

* Songyue Temple Pagoda: Built between 508 and 511, it had very innovative architecture and became a template for many future pagodas. *

and its Pagoda Forest: A complex of temples and over 240 pagodas, built over 1300 years starting in the 5th century. A major sacred site for Buddhism. *Huishan Temple: A wooden temple built in the 12th century on the site of the astronomer Yi Xing's residence. *Songyang Academy: Created in the

Tang Dynasty The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, t= ), or Tang Empire, was an imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907 AD, with an interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdom ...

, it was considered one of the four greatest academies of classical learning in China. Contributed to the dissemination of Confucianism across China. * Gaocheng Astronomical Observatory: an observatory built in the 13th century to accurately measure the world and create precise calendars. Other notable sites in Dengfeng include the Fawang Temple, a Buddhist temple built in the Tang Dynasty.

Climate

Transportation

China National Highway 207 China National Highway 207 (G207) runs from Ulanhot, Inner Mongolia to Hai'an, Guangdong. It is in length and runs south from Xilinhot through Inner Mongolia, Hebei, Shanxi, Henan, Hubei, Guangxi, and ends in Guangdong. Route and distan ...

* Dengfeng Tourist Railway

Gallery

File:Mt. Shaoshi Cliff - 少室山峭壁 - panoramio - Aaron Zhu.jpg, Mt. Shaoshi File:The Observatory, Dengfeng, 2015-09-24 08.jpg, Gaocheng Observatory File:The Dengfeng Observatory1.jpg, Dengfeng Observatory File:Huishansi dadian.JPG, Huishan Temple File:Songshan Shaolin (4).jpg, Shaolin Temple File:Shaolin Monk Cemetery - panoramio.jpg, Pagoda Forest, Shaolin temple File:登封少室阙.JPG, Shaoshi Que File:Songshanfawangsi.JPG, Fawang Temple File:Fawang Temple Pagoda Dengfeng.JPG, Fawang temple Pagoda File:Pagoda of Songyue Temple, 2015-09-25 20.jpg, Pagoda of Songyue temple File:登封太室阙.JPG, Taishi Que File:Училище Сунъян шуюань 1.jpg, Songyang Academy File:中岳庙内2.jpg, Zhongyue Temple File:Shaolinsi chuzuan dadian.JPG, Chuzu Temple File:Medicine Monk Statue @ Shaolin Temple - panoramio.jpg, Monk Statue at Shaolin Temple

References

External links

*
Official website Unesco
{{Authority control Zhengzhou World Heritage Sites in China County-level divisions of Henan Cities in Henan