Welcome to Lingyin Temple

Hangzhou locals' hidden "Buddhist paradise on earth"! Lingyin Temple is not just about burning incense; you can also listen to the morning bell, feed the koi, and drink Zen tea! Spend about 4000 RMB per person for 4 days and unlock 99% of the secret spots unknown to most tourists! Think Lingyin Temple is just about queuing to burn incense and grabbing the first incense stick? Wrong! The real Lingyin Temple is at 6:30 AM, before dawn, when the bell tolls through the valley, the Buddha statues carved in the Feilai Peak grottoes from a thousand years ago quietly gaze at you, and a wisp of incense smoke rises in front of the Great Hero Hall, instantly calming your heart. This is not a trendy check-in spot but the most spiritually effective ancient temple in Jiangnan, one of China's top ten famous temples! The Feilai Peak stone carvings are 200 years older than the Mogao Caves! Enjoy free morning bell listening, Zen tea tasting, and feeding koi in the release pond. Nearby are Longjing Village and Fayu Ancient Village, as beautiful as a hidden paradise. With about 4000 RMB per person, spend 4 days and 3 nights deeply exploring Lingyin + West Lake + Longjing + Fayu Aman. This guide will take you on a Zen journey to heal all your anxieties! Itinerary Overview: 4 days 3 nights · Zen Hangzhou - Budget: approx. 4000 RMB per person (including transportation + accommodation + tickets + food & drink) - Suitable for: Blessing seekers | Healers | Photography lovers | Couples | Families Keywords: Lingyin Temple | Feilai Peak | Zen practice | Longjing tea | Fayu Ancient Village Day 1: From various places → Hangzhou → Initial exploration of Lingyin Transportation: High-speed train to "Hangzhou East Station" 🚇 Metro Line 1 → Longxiang Bridge, transfer to Y8/7 bus direct to Lingyin (¥2) Arrive in the afternoon: Don’t go to the temple first! Head straight to Feilai Peak! Feilai Peak Scenic Area (ticket ¥45) Southern Song Dynasty stone grotto statues, 168 Buddha statues hidden in the cliff walls, so stunning you’ll be speechless! Cold Spring Monkey, One Line Sky, Qinglin Cave—every step a scenic spot! Evening: Accommodation recommendations: - Luxury: Fayu Aman (¥2500+/night, stay in a Tang Dynasty ancient village) - Cost-effective: Boutique guesthouse near Lingyin Temple (¥400/night, 10-minute walk) Night stroll at Lingyin: Although the temple is closed, the lighting outside Feilai Peak is serene, perfect for a peaceful walk listening to the mountain breeze through the bamboo forest. Day 2: Deep Lingyin Temple tour · A spiritual experience 6:30 AM! Must grab the first incense time! Lingyin Temple (incense flower ticket ¥30, opens at 7:00 AM) Fewest people! Most peaceful atmosphere! Pray and make wishes one by one at the Great Hero Hall, Medicine Buddha Hall, and Huayan Hall—very effective! Locals say: "Career prayers work for sure, and so do love prayers!" Morning must-try: 1️⃣ Listen to the morning bell (¥100/person, limited) 108 bell tolls cleanse worries, full of ritual feeling! 2️⃣ Feed koi in the release pond (fish food ¥10) Red koi splashing, symbolizing "abundance every year," kids love it! 3️⃣ Sutra copying experience (¥50, Lingyin Sutra Library) Stroke by stroke, no distractions, anxiety instantly gone. Lunch: Shifangyuan vegetarian meal (¥38/person) 12 vegetarian dishes, full of color, aroma, and taste, even meat-eaters finish it all! Afternoon: Yongfu Zen Temple and Taoguang Temple (free! Few people, beautiful scenery) Yongfu Temple: Known as "the most beautiful temple," tea room overlooks West Lake Taoguang Temple: Winding mountain path, legend says Lü Dongbin once practiced here Day 3: Longjing Village × Tea Mountain Zen Practice (tea fragrance + Zen) Taxi to Longjing Village (¥30, 15 minutes) Morning: Longjing tea picking experience (¥88/person) Pick pre-Qingming Longjing tea with tea farmers, learn tea frying, taste fresh tea, fragrance soul-piercing! Lunch: Tea farmer’s home meal (¥60/person) Native mountain flavors: free-range chicken pot, Longjing shrimp, wild vegetables! Afternoon: Stroll Fayu Ancient Village Tang Dynasty ancient village renovation, stone paths, old houses, Zen-themed shops, like stepping into "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance"! Accommodation: Stay at Fayu Aman (dream lodging) or return to the city--- Day 4: North Peak × Return trip (hiking and sightseeing) Early morning: North Peak cable car one-way ¥30 Climb to 313 meters altitude, overlook Hangzhou city + West Lake panoramic view! At the top is the "World’s No.1 God of Wealth Temple," a must-visit for wealth prayers! Lunch: Zhiweiguan · Lingyin branch last meal: vegetarian roast goose, Ding Sheng cake, West Lake lotus root starch Afternoon return: Take home a pack of Longjing tea and a calm heart. Total Budget List (per person) - Transportation (high-speed train + city): ¥800 - Accommodation (3 nights, including 1 luxury night): ¥1600 - Tickets + experiences (Feilai Peak + incense flower ticket + sutra copying + tea picking): ¥400 - Food + vegetarian meals: ¥500 - Souvenirs + shopping (Longjing tea gift box + Buddhist beads): ¥500 - Emergency + souvenirs: ¥200 Total: approx. 4000 RMB (even staying at Aman) [Blogger’s Private Tips] 1️⃣ Don’t buy incense too expensive! ¥30 per bundle inside the temple is enough; outside the scenic area selling for ¥100+ is a rip-off! 2️⃣ Want to shoot empty frame masterpieces? Arrive before 6:30 AM in front of the Great Hero Hall, no people, no barriers, perfect light and shadow! 3️⃣ Sutra copying recommended at 9 AM session, good light, calmer mind! 4️⃣ Buying tea in Longjing Village: Look for "Shifeng Mountain" production area, pre-Qingming first grade about ¥800 per jin! Final sentence: Lingyin Temple is not a place for "praying to gods and Buddha," but a quiet corner for you to have a dialogue with yourself. That bell sound, that wisp of incense, will remind you: slow down, even slower, life doesn’t have to be so rushed. Tell me in the comments: who do you most want to pray for at Lingyin Temple? Like + save, next issue will release "Lingyin Temple Photographer’s Secret Spots + Blessing Phrases Guide," even the monks say "so heartfelt!"