Suzhou Hanshan Temple: Unveiling the Mysteries of this Millennium-old Monastery

Hanshan Temple is located ten miles west of Suzhou City in Fengqiao Town and belongs to the Linji school of Zen Buddhism. During the Tang Dynasty's Zhenguan era, the renowned monks Hanshan and Shide founded the temple, which houses numerous ancient relics, including stone inscriptions by Zhang Ji, stone statues of Hanshan and Shide, fragments of inscriptions written by Wen Zhengming and Tang Yin, among others. It was once one of the top ten famous temples in China. Attraction Information: Address: No. 24 Hanshan Temple Alley, Gusu District, Suzhou City Ticket Price: 20 yuan per person Opening Hours: 7:30-16:30 (Entry stops at 16:00 and the garden is cleared at 16:30) Transportation: Take Metro Line 1 to the 9002 community bus East Line, or take bus 313/301/33 and get off at Heshan Bridge or Laifeng Bridge, then navigate to Hanshan Temple by car. Travel Tips: Burning Incense for Blessings 1. After entering through the west gate, the incense burning area is right at the main entrance of the Grand Hall. A family blessing incense is 80 yuan per set, which can be purchased outside the temple or brought by yourself. It is recommended to worship clockwise from all sides, using the left hand to light the incense and place it in the censer 2. To the left after entering is the Arhat Hall, where you can find an arhat with whom you feel a connection and bow three times 3. In the Bell Tower, you can ring the bell for blessings, 5 yuan for 3 rings. On New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, there is a bell-ringing ceremony of 108 rings, which is said to symbolize the elimination of 108 kinds of worries 4. In the Sutra Copying Hall, you can copy sutras for free. The hall is located next to the Vegetarian Hall, and copying takes about half an hour. Once finished, place the copied sutras in the cabinets on both sides 5. Feed the koi for 10 yuan per pack. After purchasing the fish food, you can feed the koi up close and share in their good fortune. Note that one pack of feed should only be fed by one person 6. At the Dharma Items Distribution Center, you can purchase a string of eighteen beads for 50 yuan per string, with an orderly queue Experience Review: Outside Gusu City lies Hanshan Temple, where the midnight bell tolls reach the guest boats. I thought it was famous just for a poem, but it was a great surprise! Travel Feelings: Listening to the bell inside the hall truly allows one to calm down and feel the most authentic self. Just find a place to sit and watch different people praying and kneeling, experiencing the tranquility of the temple.