Autumn at Guoqing Temple: Finding a Moment of Serenity in a Thousand-Year-Old Ancient Temple

🍁 Tiantai Mountain Guoqing Temple | Don’t miss the once-a-year autumn-exclusive healing ancient temple! “A temple stands, the country is pure” This autumn, I finally visited the long-awaited Guoqing Temple A thousand-year-old Sui Dynasty pagoda, golden rice fields, ancient temple Zen sounds This place fulfilled all my imaginations of autumn tranquility 📍 Basic Information Address: Guoqing Scenic Area, Tiantai County, Taizhou City, Zhejiang Province Admission: Free! (A truly generous 5A scenic spot) Opening Hours: 7:00 AM - 4:00 PM (Recommended to arrive before 7 AM for fewer people and better photos) 📸 Must-Visit Photo Spots 1️⃣ Sui Pagoda + Rice Fields: A vast golden rice field in front of the mountain gate with the thousand-year-old Sui pagoda in the frame; shooting the pagoda tip against the evening backlight creates a golden halo! In mid to late October, you might even catch monks harvesting in autumn 2️⃣ Mountain Gate Ginkgo: Under the thousand-year-old ginkgo tree, golden leaves fall like rain; wearing plain-colored clothes is highly recommended for stunning photos 3️⃣ Shuangjian Huilan: Standing on the arch bridge offers a beautiful composition; before 9 AM, the light is soft and there are fewer people 4️⃣ Red Wall Maple Leaves: Inside the temple, the red walls and fiery red maple leaves complement each other, with mottled light and shadow full of ancient charm 🍁 Autumn-Exclusive Experiences → Taste the temple’s vegetarian meals: Featuring seasonal bamboo shoots, mushrooms, and other ingredients, light and delicious → Encounter autumn drying scenes: Monks drying rice and making homemade osmanthus jam, full of rustic charm → Listen to the morning bell and evening drum: In the quiet early morning, listen quietly to the bell and the sound of falling leaves, fully healing 💡 Practical Tips • Transportation: Drive and navigate to “Guoqing Temple Scenic Area,” parking costs 10 RMB/day; or take the high-speed train to Taizhou Station and transfer to a bus • Outfit: Recommended to wear plain colors like off-white or light coffee to match the autumn colors of the ancient temple • Best Time: Late October to mid-November, when the ginkgo is fully yellow and the maple leaves are bright red • Nearby Recommendations: At the scenic area entrance, the “Lujing” hotel offers Yijinjing exercises and tea tasting; the “Sanmu Yushi” café by the rice fields has excellent views “As the world speeds up, this place still waits for you in quietude” This autumn, why not come to Guoqing Temple to find your own moment of serenity Tiantai Mountain Guoqing Temple