Luoyang Shaolin Temple Premium 3-Day Tour: Humanistic Scenery of the Ancient Capital of Thirteen Dynasties · Shaolin Kung Fu Course Experience

Welcome to Luoyang. After arrival, our driver will meet you at the railway station or airport exit and escort you to the hotel for check-in and rest. After that, you can arrange your time freely and explore this ancient capital of a thousand years at your own pace. Luoyang is located in western Henan Province, east of Xi'an, and is one of China's four great ancient capitals. It was once the capital of thirteen dynasties and the eastern starting point of the ancient Silk Road. During the Tang Dynasty, Luoyang flourished as the Eastern Capital and was comparable to the Western Capital Chang'an (present-day Xi'an). In 684 AD, Wu Zetian, the first female emperor in Chinese history, officially made Luoyang the capital and gave it an extraordinary name—"Shendu" (Divine Capital). Even today, the architectural style of Luoyang's most famous Longmen Grottoes is deeply influenced by the era of Wu Zetian. In addition, Luoyang is also known as the "City of Peonies." If you visit in spring, you can witness the moving scene of flowers blooming throughout the city. Optional experiences 1. Tang Sancai DIY—touch the colors of the High Tang with your own hands If you want to bring home a unique "Luoyang memory," then this Tang Sancai DIY experience must not be missed. Under the guidance of a skilled ceramic master, you will learn and personally make classic Tang Sancai clay sculptures, such as majestic horses and graceful court ladies... The "magic moment" of the course lies in the glaze-making. You will use traditional brushes to apply the iconic copper green, iron yellow, and manganese purple to the pottery. Interestingly, when coloring, the clay body appears plain orange, and only after it is fired in the kiln does it "magically" reveal the dazzling Sancai colors—full of surprises, like opening a blind box! Practical tips Location: China Tang Sancai Cultural Park (about 30 minutes by car from downtown Luoyang). Opening hours: 8:30-17:30 (closed on Mondays; it is recommended to confirm before traveling). 2. Empress Wu Banquet—a palace feast traveling back to the Great Tang If you want to experience the ultimate luxury of the prosperous Tang Dynasty, then this feast inspired by China's only female emperor must not be missed. This is not just a meal, but a multi-sensory immersive experience—presented in the form of Luoyang Water Banquet, with exquisite dishes appearing one after another amid melodious palace ritual music. The highlight of the banquet is the stunning Peony Yan Cai—a finely carved "peony flower" that slowly blooms in the soup, said to be Wu Zetian's favorite dish. You can choose to attend in traditional Tang Dynasty clothing and dine accompanied by live palace music and classical dance. Amid the clinking of cups and the melodious music, with dancing sleeves fluttering, it feels as if you have turned around and traveled back to that prosperous "Shendu" era. Practical tips Price: 298-398 yuan/person. It is recommended to book through official channels, and during holidays you must book in advance. Performance times: Lunch about 12:00-13:30, dinner about 19:00-20:30 (it is recommended to confirm the day's schedule before traveling). Xigong Flagship Store (Water Banquet Garden): Second floor of the Water Banquet Garden flagship store at the intersection of Wangcheng Avenue and Jiudu Road, Xigong District (the most mature and consistently well-reviewed store). Old City Cross Street Store: Near the intersection of Zhongzhou East Road and North Street, Old City District (convenient to visit after touring Luoyi Ancient City or Lijing Gate).

After breakfast, you will drive to the Shaolin Temple in Dengfeng, Zhengzhou (about 74 km from Luoyang, roughly a 70-minute drive). The Shaolin Temple is the ancestral home of Chinese Chan Buddhism and the birthplace of Shaolin Kung Fu, enjoying the reputation of being the "Holy Land of Kung Fu." Upon arrival, you will first enjoy a 30-minute Kung Fu performance at the Shaolin Martial Arts Hall, experiencing the true skill of the Shaolin warrior monks, combining hardness and softness. Next, you will visit the magnificent architectural complex of the Shaolin Temple. The entire temple is arranged along the central axis with seven main halls in sequence. Among them, inside the mountain gate hangs a huge black plaque with golden characters—the three large characters "Shaolin Temple," personally inscribed by the Kangxi Emperor of the Qing Dynasty. At the center of the temple is the Mahavira Hall, where monks chant sutras daily and hold major ceremonies. On the floor inside the hall are nearly 50 small pits, said to be footprints left by monks practicing martial arts over the generations. Afterwards, you will visit the Pagoda Forest, the largest and longest-lasting ancient pagoda complex existing in China, worthy of being called a "museum of ancient architectural art." It contains more than 240 brick and stone tomb pagodas from the Tang, Song, Jin, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, where eminent monks, abbots, and enlightened monks of past generations are buried. It is well worth seeing. This afternoon, you will go to a local professional martial arts school to take a 1-hour Kung Fu experience class. Under the guidance of a Kung Fu coach, you will learn several classic Kung Fu moves and basic boxing techniques, immersing yourself in the hardness and softness of Chinese martial arts. Afterwards, you will visit the Luoyang Old Town, centered on the iconic Lijing Gate. First built in the Jin Dynasty (1217 AD), Lijing Gate was the west gate of the ancient capital Luoyang and is known as the "First Gate of the Central Plains." This place has a long history, and among the people there are long-standing sayings: "If you don't visit Lijing Gate, your trip to Luoyang is in vain" and "Luoyang's peonies are the finest under heaven, and the Lijing city tower is unmatched in the world." Stepping into the old town, along the old streets with gray bricks and tiles, there are historic residences, lively food streets, and distinctive small shops, vividly displaying the bustling market life of ancient Luoyang. You can slow down, taste a bowl of authentic Bufan Soup, bite into a crispy and fragrant peony flower cake, or pick out a few souvenirs you like. Adding even more ancient charm, in today's old town you can see young people dressed in ruqun and hanfu everywhere—in groups of three or five, some strolling with fans, others smiling while leaning on the railings, as if by accident they have traveled back with you to that elegant ancient China. After the tour, return to your hotel in Luoyang to rest.

This morning, you will visit the Longmen Grottoes in the southern suburbs of Luoyang. [Longmen Grottoes] is hailed as the foremost of China's four great grottoes, housing the largest and most exquisite stone carving art treasures from the Northern Wei to the Tang Dynasty (316-907 AD). In 2000, the Longmen Grottoes were inscribed on the World Heritage List. The Longmen Grottoes were carved into the steep limestone cliffs on both banks of the Yi River. There are more than 2,300 existing caves and niches on the east and west hills, stretching about 1 kilometer. Here, you can admire nearly 110,000 Buddhist stone statues, over 60 stupas, and more than 2,800 inscriptions, all masterpieces of Buddhist-themed art, known as the "highest peak of Chinese stone carving art" and the world's largest and most numerous stone carving art treasure house. The tour focuses on the West Hill Grottoes. The most breathtaking is Fengxian Temple, where the 17.14-meter-high Vairocana Buddha has a kind face and a slight smile. It is often associated with the image of Wu Zetian and is thus known as the "Mona Lisa of the East." On both sides of the Buddha are four pairs of attendant statues: disciples, bodhisattvas, heavenly kings, and warriors, grand and imposing. You will also pass the Ten Thousand Buddha Cave—densely carved with 15,000 small Buddha statues, the smallest only 2 centimeters high, very impressive. The Ten Thousand Buddha Cave was carved in 680 AD during the Tang Dynasty and is one of the most complete cave groups in the Longmen Grottoes. In addition, don't miss the Three Binyang Caves, carved during the Northern Wei Dynasty by Emperor Xiaowen in memory of his father; another highlight is the Prescription Cave, with over 140 inscriptions recording treatments for various diseases; finally, don't forget the Guyang Cave, amazing for its ancient and exquisite statues. Recommended tour route for Longmen Grottoes (West Hill Essence Route) North Gate → Yuwang Pool → Qianxi Temple → Three Binyang Caves → Three Buddha Niches on the Cliff → Ten Thousand Buddha Cave → Lotus Cave → Fengxian Temple → Guyang Cave → Prescription Cave → South Gate, about 2-3 hours in total. If time permits, you can cross the bridge to the East Hill Grottoes on the opposite bank of the Yi River to continue visiting. Afterwards, you will head to the [Luoyang Museum], immersing yourself in the grandeur and glory of this ancient capital of thirteen dynasties. The museum houses over 100,000 cultural relics, with more than 1,000 precious artifacts selected for permanent exhibition, showcasing the civilization from the Xia and Shang dynasties to the Sui and Tang, and then to the Northern Song. Strolling through the "Heluo Civilization" large-scale general history exhibition on the first floor, you will follow the timeline from prehistoric times to the Five Dynasties and Northern Song, as if traveling through centuries of history. Afterwards, you can leisurely walk into the second-floor exhibition halls, focusing on the Treasures Gallery and the Tang Sancai Gallery, which display many of the Luoyang Museum's "treasures of the museum." Black-glazed Tang Sancai Horse (Tang Dynasty): Entirely black and shiny, it is one of only two surviving black-glazed Tang Sancai horses in China, with snow-white hooves, vigorous and powerful. Clay Buddha Face (Northern Wei): Unearthed from the Yongning Temple site, only half of the face remains, yet it has smiled for a thousand years, known as the "Mona Lisa of the East." White Jade Cup (Cao Wei): Plain and unadorned, warm and smooth as congealed fat, reflecting the Cao Wei period's style of "great simplicity." Gilt Bronze Feathered Man (Eastern Han): The feathered man kneels with wings spread high, full of the Han Dynasty's romantic imagination of immortality. Gold and Silver Inlaid Bronze Ding (Warring States): Geometric patterns inlaid with gold and silver threads, the exquisite craftsmanship is breathtaking even today. After the tour, your 3-day Luoyang and Shaolin Temple trip will come to an end. Our driver will take you to Luoyang Railway Station/Airport for your onward high-speed train or flight to the next destination.