Songshan Mountain

Songshan, 50km/31mi southeast of Luoyang and 15km/9mi northwest of the district capital Dengfeng, is one of the five sacred Buddhist mountains in China that, as a state religion, was venerated on the order of the emperor by offering up gifts to heaven. The others are Taishan (Prov. Shandong), Heengshan (Prov. Hunan), Hengshan (Prov. Shanxi) and Huashan (Prov. Shaanxi). Many old architectural monuments stand on the slopes and in the vicinity of the 1440m/4725ft high Songshan, which is also often familiarly called Centre Mountain.