Lingyin Temple, also known as ‘Yunlin Temple’, is located at the foot of Lingyin Mountain on the west side of West Lake. The temple is surrounded by a tranquil environment and is the oldest famous temple in Hangzhou, preserving numerous exquisite cultural relics from various dynasties. It is the place where Ji Gong took his monastic vows, and it is said to be very effective for fulfilling wishes, attracting a continuous stream of worshippers who come to pray and seek blessings.
After 1700 years of history, Lingyin Temple has become a treasure trove of history and culture: the plaque ‘Yunlin Chan Temple’ hanging in the Tian Wang Hall was inscribed by Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty; the stone pagoda in front of the Mahavira Hall and the stone scripture pillar in front of the Tian Wang Hall are relics from the period of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms of the Wu Yue; the temple houses precious Buddhist artifacts such as ancient palm-leaf scriptures, Eastern Wei gilded Buddha statues, Dong Qichang’s handwritten ‘Diamond Sutra’ from the Ming Dynasty, and the Qing Yongzheng woodblock Longzang.
Lingyin Temple is also the temple where the monk Dao Ji, known as ‘Ji Gong’, took his monastic vows. In the Hall of Master Dao Ji, there is a statue of Ji Gong with a broken fan in his right hand, prayer beads in his left hand, and his right foot resting on a wine vat. The temple is backed by the Bei Gao Peak and faces the Fei Lai Peak. Although Fei Lai Peak is not very high, it has many fantastic and changeable caves, and is home to more than 340 Buddhist grotto sculptures from the Five Dynasties period, making it a rare treasure of ancient cave art in Jiangnan.
The temple is always bustling with worshippers, especially on the first and fifteenth days of the lunar month or during significant Buddhist festivals, when believers from all directions gather in large numbers. The temple is open all year round from 06:30 to 18:00. On top of these opening hours, during national holidays, the scenic area opens half an hour earlier and closes half an hour later.
Policies for special groups: Children aged 6 (inclusive) or under 1.2 meters (inclusive) in height enter for free. Youths aged 6 (not inclusive) to 18 (inclusive) or between 1.2 meters (not inclusive) and 1.5 meters (inclusive) in height pay half price. Elderly aged 60 (inclusive) to 69 (inclusive) with ID pay half price; those aged 70 (inclusive) and above with ID enter for free. Students with full-time undergraduate or below degrees in mainland China (with student ID purchased on site) pay half price. Active military personnel with valid ID enter for free. Disabled individuals with valid ID enter for free.
Complimentary tickets: Teachers with over 30 years of teaching experience in Zhejiang Province, retired officials, Hangzhou talents, and police officers enter for free.
Additional information: The above preferential policies apply to the Fei Lai Peak scenic area. From February 1, 2024, preferential tickets such as half-price tickets for Lingyin Fei Lai Peak are to be purchased on-site with valid ID, and online sales are suspended until further notice.