Laojun Mountain (Henan) 老君山

About Laojun Mountain (Henan)

The Shili Huaping sector follows a landscape of closely spaced rock pinnacles, while the Golden Summit temples give the upper mountain its recognisable silhouette. Zhongtianmen is an important intermediate point between lower transport and the higher scenic route. Cableways reduce part of the ascent, but they do not turn the upper mountain into a level visit.

The mountain was originally named Jingshi Mountain (景室山). According to local tradition, Laozi (老子), the founder of Taoism, retreated here to practice cultivation, and the mountain was renamed Laojun Mountain in the Tang dynasty as a result. The Laojun Temple (老君庙) on the mountain was first built during the Northern Wei dynasty (386-535).

The mountain lies 3 kilometers east of the town of Luanchuan and forms the main peak of the Funiu Mountains (伏牛山); its summit, Yuhuangding (玉皇顶), reaches an elevation of 2,200 meters. Together with the Jiguan Cave, it forms a scenic area that was awarded the rating of national 5A tourist attraction (国家5A级旅游景区) by the national tourism authority on 9 January 2012, the highest category in the national tourist rating system.

What to look for

• Shili Huaping’s rock pinnacles and the paths that reveal changing views between them.
• The Golden Summit Taoist buildings above the surrounding peaks.

The surrounding area

A city base for Longmen, soup breakfasts, old-city food streets and contemporary hanfu visitor districts.

Location & getting there

Getting to Laojun Mountain (Henan)

Travel to the visitor centre at Qiliping in Luanchuan. From there, follow the current instructions for the Zhongling or Yunjing lower cableway and the onward Zhongtianmen route. Visitors using overseas documents should confirm accepted identification directly with the ticket centre before travelling; the published 2026 notice does not establish passport eligibility.