[2025 Xuzhou Attraction] Travel Guide for Xinghua Temple (Updated May)

Yundong Jing Hotel is nestled at the eastern foot of Yunlong Mountain, neighboring the thousand-year-old Xinghua Zen Temple. Stepping into the hotel feels like entering a world forgotten by time. The traditional Chinese mortise and tenon structure, palace pavilion elements, and cleverly arranged Zen spaces create an atmosphere of urban seclusion. Open your window to view the ancient temple's yellow walls and upturned eaves, listen to the morning and evening bells, and experience tranquility beyond worldly concerns. Surrounded by cultural landmarks like Xuzhou Museum and Huilongwo Cultural District, you can easily switch between serenity and vibrancy. Luxurious Rooms, Private Tranquility The hotel features only 44 rooms, each with its own private landscaped courtyard. Inside, natural wood tones intertwine with warm lighting to create a cozy atmosphere. High-end amenities including Dyson hair dryers, Acqua di Parma toiletries, and Hansgrohe fixtures showcase quality throughout. The window-side tatami area offers a perfect relaxation spot—enjoy tea while watching snow in winter or listen to cicadas under the stars in summer, savoring privacy and comfort. Zen Flavors to Nourish Body and Mind Here, every meal from morning to night is a culinary Zen practice. Morning tea is paired with a nine-grid breakfast featuring Xuzhou specialties like spicy soup and rolled pancakes with fried dough twists. Mindful lunch and dinner offerings include fusion dishes with reduced sugar and oil, along with delicious wild mushroom soups that allow flavors to bloom naturally. The Chinese-style afternoon tea presents exquisite pastries in a nine-grid arrangement, accompanied by aged white tea with chenpi or hand-dripped coffee, creating an encounter between Zen philosophy and sweetness. Healing Time, Awakening Self During singing bowl therapy, ethereal vibrations dispel physical and mental fatigue. In meditation yoga, find inner peace through each breath. Activities like elegant tea ceremonies and sutra copying allow you to experience the charm of Eastern culture through all your senses, purifying and elevating your spirit.

On this trip to Xuzhou, Jiangsu, I made a special trip to Yunlong Mountain. I didn't expect to see Xinghua Temple while visiting Yunlong Mountain. It was very worthwhile. 📍Detailed address: Xinghua Temple is built on a mountain and has several gates. One of the gates is at the foot of the mountain, next to Yundong Cultural Block. After entering the mountain gate, you can walk up the steps. If you don't take this gate, there are two other gates on the mountain that you can use to enter the temple. 🌟Highlights: Xinghua Temple has a long history. The temple was built because of the Great Stone Buddha. The Amitabha Great Stone Buddha enshrined in Xinghua Temple has been around for more than 1,500 years. It dates back to the Northern Wei Dynasty. Now you can also see the hall covering the Great Stone Buddha, which is built along the cliff. It is known as the "Three Brick Hall Covering the Three Zhang Buddha" and is a wonder of the Zen forest. You can also worship the Great Stone Buddha in the upper and lower halls. 📝Tips: There are relatively few tourists here, so it is very quiet. You can worship along the steps and enjoy the scenery of Yunlong Mountain. It's a great feeling. In addition, if you are traveling with elderly people, it is recommended not to go up from Yundong Cultural Block. You can enter from the east gate of Yunlong Mountain and walk up the road, so you don't have to climb too many stairs.

Accommodation Arrangements: If you are looking for economy, you can live near Yunlong Wanda or Mining University. If you are looking for quality, you can live near Suning Plaza. Travel routes: Day 1: Baolian Monastery/Xinghua Monastery-Yunlong Wanda-Yunlong Mountain-Yunlong Lake Day 2: Suning Plaza Hubu Mountain - Ximatai - Xuzhou Museum - Huilongwo Night View Food Tips: Lianglaifeng: The soup is spicy Mashi Street Soup: Add egg, eight-strand fried dough sticks, Chen's old-style steamed bun Xu Lao Ba Mutton Buns Shop Meatball Soup: Su Ji, Xuzhou Old Flavor, Liu Ji Xuzhou Lunch Casserole Duofulin Casserole Dragon Phoenix Casserole Chicken Baiwei Laojia Wuming/all stir-fried vegetables in a ground pot Guangyuanju Tavern Tianji Dry-fried Vegetables and Pork Minzhu Road Braised Pork, Weird Braised Pork, Fengqi Braised Pork, etc. Sanzhong Gaohuang Mutton Restaurant Qingnian Road Mutton Restaurant Qibaisui Mutton Soup Restaurant Shan You Mutton Stew Noodles Laoba Mutton Restaurant Xuzhou Rice Noodles Old Xuzhou rice noodles Huijing rice noodles Yipin Piaoxiang healthy rice noodles Yunlonghu Azhe rice noodles Jiuzhong Niuji rice noodles Jianguo Liuji rice noodles Yijia rice noodles Huanghe Weiji rice noodles etc. Xuzhou dinner barbecue Fang Fang, Lu's, Yifang Lao Shi, Fu Jie, Three Sheep Teeth, etc. Xuzhou snacks and drinks Green Yogurt Drink Burrito Yan Ting wraps Kaiming Market wraps Song Ji chicken fillet wraps BBQ pork tendons Lao Zheng barbecue tendons, Wai Niu barbecue tendons, Erzhong barbecue tendons, fire-baked Guoji's old-style meat fire, Weiji's fire, Xuji's pork head fire fried skewers Lakeside Mom Huimin Fish Brother Old Archway Fried Skewers and other delicious Guoji Spicy Pancake Shop: Brush a layer of oil and chili sauce. Juanjie Shredded Chicken: Shredded Chicken Noodles. Pig’s Feet, Chicken Clams. Zhangji Hot Duck: Local Specialty. Huiyuan Spicy Soup Dough Sticks: Open at night for a delicious soup Xiaoxiao Liangpi, Zao Gao, and Sunji Steak are all in one old shop. It is a must-visit snack street in Xuzhou Fengchu Street, Fuguo Street, Fushun Road, New District Normal University Pedestrian Street, 18th Night Market, Minfuyuan Night Market, you can eat as much as you want on one street. They are all Xuzhou local delicacies, large in quantity and delicious in taste. You can eat until you lean on the wall. If there are any deficiencies, sisters are welcome to supplement them. Thank you.

Xinghua Zen Temple: The temple houses a large Amitabha stone Buddha, which was first carved during the Northern Wei Dynasty (450). The stone Buddha is an open-air Buddha head, carved against the mountain rock, standing three zhang and six (approximately 11.9 meters) tall. During the reign of Emperor Kangxi in the Qing Dynasty, the chest and arms were further carved. The hall for the Buddha head was initially built during the Ming Dynasty. Following the natural slope of the cliff, only three layers of bricks were piled up under the eaves of the rear wall of the hall, hence the saying that a 'Three-Brick Hall covers a Three-Zhang Buddha'. The temple currently has Ming Dynasty structures such as the Bell and Drum Tower, a three-ton iron bell, the Ancestral Hall, and the Sutra Repository. The other halls in the existing six courtyards were mostly built during the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty or later.

The Xinghua Zen Temple, which is said to have had the Buddha before the hall, is located on the eastern foothills of Yunlong Mountain in Xuzhou City. Originally named Shifo Temple, it was established due to the carving of a large stone Buddha during the Northern Wei Dynasty. The exact year of the Buddha's carving, as recorded in the 'Xuzhou Annals', is the first year of the Zhengping era (AD 451) of the Northern Wei Dynasty, but later research indicates it was the tenth year of the 'Taihe' era (AD 486) under Emperor Xiaowen. Initially carved into a cliff, the Buddha's head was sculpted in the open air, with a square face and large ears, eyes closed in a gentle smile, and a dignified appearance. It has been referred to as 'Buddha Head Rock' and has a history of over 1,500 years. In the thirty-first year of the Hongwu era of the Ming Dynasty (1398), the high monk Shengji built structures around the mountain, centering on the stone Buddha and constructing the Great Buddha Hall. It was destroyed by fire in the seventh year of the Xuande era, and to protect the stone Buddha from erosion, 'the body of the stone Buddha was adorned with real gold to complete its color and form.' Additional buildings such as the mountain gate, the Hall of Heavenly Kings, the meditation hall, and the scripture tower were constructed, and by the Wanli era, the temple complex had formed, surrounded by ancient trees and imbued with a deep sense of Zen. The 'Small Hall over the Great Buddha' is a feature of Xinghua Zen Temple. The stone Buddha is approximately three zhang and six chi tall (about 11.52 meters). During the Kangxi era of the Qing Dynasty, the arms and chest were further carved, and it is now the only remaining ancient stone sculpture in Xuzhou. The hall covering the large stone Buddha was built along the mountain cliff, and although not small in area, it is called the 'Three-Brick Hall over the Three-Zhang Buddha' because there are only three layers of bricks under the eaves of the back wall. It is acclaimed as a Zen spectacle, and on the cliff walls beside the great stone Buddha, there are about a thousand small stone Buddha carvings, leading to the saying, 'The niches form the structure, and the carved peaks form the figure.' The bell and drum tower of Xinghua Zen Temple was built during the Xuande era of the Ming Dynasty, beside the two mountain walls of the main hall. Unlike the typical bell and drum towers, which are small and exquisite, the drum tower exists without a drum, and the bell tower hangs an iron bell from the third year of Xuande, weighing about three tons. The 'bell sound of the temple' is a scenic highlight of Yunlong Mountain. In 1993, when the new Great Buddha Hall was built, a group of Buddhist niches from the Tang and Song dynasties were unearthed, buried deep underground. The niches vary in form, including single and double-layered niches, with combinations of themes such as a Buddha with two Bodhisattvas, Vaisravana, Bodhisattvas with donors, etc. The lively sculptures reflect everyday Buddhism, and visitors can immerse themselves in admiration as if transported to a mysterious Buddhist realm. There are 195 niches, and a protective room has been specially set up for visitors to view. Mr. Zhao Puchu, the president of the Buddhist Association of China, inscribed the words 'Tang and Song Dynasty Cliff Stone Carvings.' Reaching the top of Xinghua Zen Temple, one can enjoy the picturesque scenery of Yunlong Lake, search for ancient traces, and recall the friendship between Su Shi, who served as the prefect of Xuzhou, and the hermit Zhang Tianji. They would release cranes every morning, and Su Shi wrote 'Record of Releasing the Cranes,' which was included in 'Guwen Guanzhi.' To the west of the pavilion is the Drinking Crane Spring (originally named Shifo Well), and more than 10 meters away stands the Crane-Inviting Pavilion. The spring and pavilion have coexisted for over a thousand years, with poems and wine celebrating the pavilion. 'Famous mountains and noble scholars rely on each other, and people and places support one another.' Visitors can leisurely explore the past, discuss Su Shi's life experiences, and recite his poetry: 'The myriad trees lock in the Yunlong, ... and the drunken eyes see the way home.' Yunlong Mountain, Yunlong Lake, and Xinghua Temple complement each other, with the water reflecting the ancient temple. The temple fair of Yunlong Mountain is held annually on the 19th day of the second lunar month, with folk activities that originated during the Kangxi era of the Qing Dynasty, over 300 years ago. It is a collective memory for the people of Xuzhou, mainly focusing on Buddhist worship and based on Han culture, highlighting the excellent traditional Chinese culture and the local characteristics of Xuzhou.

😄 Coming from the museum or Hubu Mountain, go up the mountain from the north gate The square in front of the museum has been renovated, and the north gate of Yunlong Mountain is now open, which leads directly to the top of Yijie Mountain, passing through the stone archway, Qu Gang jumping fish, Xi Yu Pavilion, Zhang Shanren's former residence, and Dashi Rock Temple. Then keep heading south to the observation deck. 😄 Going up the mountain from Xinghua Zen Temple Xinghua Zen Temple is equivalent to the east gate, where you can visit the temple and offer incense. The path leads up the mountain, and the exit is at the top of Yijie Mountain, Fanghe Pavilion, Zhang Shanren's former residence, and then turn left all the way south to the observation deck. 😄 Going up the mountain from the west gate, heading straight to the observation deck If you want to go directly to the observation deck, it takes about ten minutes to reach it from the west gate entrance, and about ten minutes to go down the mountain. The west gate is also the closest entrance to Yunlong Lake and Marriott. 😄 Cable car There are two cable car boarding points, east and west. The west side is close to Yunlong Lake, and the cable car scenery is also different. You can enjoy the beautiful scenery while going up the mountain. In addition, Yunlong Mountain has a total of 9 sections, and each section of the mountain has different entrances to go up the mountain, so you can choose the nearest one. Main attractions of Yunlong Mountain: observation deck, Xinghua Zen Temple, Dashi Rock Temple, Zhang Shanren's former residence, Han Dynasty Relief Stone Art Museum, Yunlong Academy, etc. 😄 Yunlong Lake → Yunlong Mountain Cableway → Xuzhou Museum → Hui Long Nest → Hubu Mountain → Xi Ma Tai → 1818 Night Market → Bao Lian Temple 😄 Yunlong Lake is really beautiful. It's very pleasant to walk by the lake, feel the breeze, and watch the sunset. At sunset, the entire lake is shimmering, and the distant mountains stretch on endlessly. Watching the sun slowly set among the mountains, the whole scene is like a huge landscape painting. 😄 Bao Lian Temple is also very worth visiting. The architecture is grand and atmospheric, and it's also very photogenic.

| citywalk | Yunlong Mountain | Xinghua Zen Temple. On a whim, I decided to climb Yunlong Mountain and just went for it. My route⛰️ was from the north gate of Yunlong Mountain up⬆️ to the east gate of Xinghua Zen Temple down⬇️ The highlight was spending 💰5 to visit Xinghua Zen Temple. As a local from Xuzhou, it was my first time visiting Xinghua Zen Temple. Although it's not as grand and imposing as the Bao'en Temple, its history spans over a thousand years. Named after the large stone Buddha built during the Northern Wei Dynasty, it sits at the foot of Yunlong Mountain. There are many visitors to Yunlong Mountain, but very few inside this ancient temple of a thousand years. Only a handful of people, I lit two lotus lamps and offered them in front of the Buddha🪷. May the Buddha bless everything to go smoothly🙏🏻

🚗Xinghua Zen Temple is a very famous ancient temple in the northern Jiangsu region, located at the eastern foot of the famous scenic spot Yunlong Mountain in the south of Xuzhou, Jiangsu. It is a Buddhist Zen temple. The temple was built due to the Northern Wei Dynasty's large stone Buddha and has a history of nearly a thousand years. During the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty, the abbot of Tiantong Temple in Ningbo, Zhejiang, passed by Yunlong Mountain, admired the beautiful mountain, and recognized it as a geomantic treasure. Therefore, he appointed his Dharma grandson Guan to stay here to promote Buddhism, becoming the first abbot of Xinghua Temple. After several wars and renovations, Xinghua Zen Temple has now formed a six-entry courtyard composed of Daxiong Hall, Buddha Hall, Heavenly King Hall, Three Saints Hall, Sutra Tower, Ancestral Hall, Dharma Hall, Abbot's Room, Guest Hall, Dining Hall, Storage Room and Monk's House. 🚗Xinghua Zen Temple was built due to the Buddha statue, and the most worth seeing in the entire temple is naturally the carved Buddha statue. The Northern Wei stone Buddha statue is in the Buddha Hall, and there are 72 Buddha niches and 250 Buddha statues on the stone walls on both sides of the stone Buddha statue. About 200 meters to the east of the stone Buddha statue, there is another cliff stone carving statue. 🚗Another worth seeing point of Xinghua Zen Temple is its ginkgo. Seeing that it is already November, it is already late autumn. After the osmanthus, it is ginkgo and maple leaves.