326 CE active Chan Buddhist monastery — one of China's largest and most important. Adjacent Feilai Feng has 470 Tang-Yuan rock carvings.
At a glance
- What it is
- Heritage Site
- Also known as
- 灵隐寺 (Líng Yǐn Sì)
- Opening hours
- 7 AM – 6 PM
- Time needed
- 2.5-3 hours
- Best time to visit
- Weekday morning 8-11 AM
- Getting there
- Taxi / DiDi from metro
- English
- English tours available
- Cards accepted
- Cash only
- Entry
- Passport booking recommended
- Wi-Fi
- No public Wi-Fi
- Address
- 1 Fayun Alley, Lingyin Rd · 灵隐路法云弄 1 号
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Highlights
- Feilai Feng Rock Carvings470 Tang-Yuan carvings on adjacent limestone cliff
- 25m Mahavira BuddhaCamphor-wood Sakyamuni Buddha in the main hall
- Vegetarian Temple Lunch¥30 set; one of the best Buddhist vegetarian meals
What Chinese travelers actually do here
Distilled from Chinese-language travel notes — the practical tips most English guides miss.
- ▸Two separate tickets: ¥45 for the scenic area (Feilai Feng cliff carvings + outer temple grounds), then ANOTHER ¥30 for entry into Lingyin Temple proper. Most foreigners don't realize and walk out frustrated. Buy both at the first gate. Some tour packages bundle only the outer ¥45, then refuse to wait while you queue for the inner ticket.
- ▸Feilai Feng (飞来峰) rock carvings are arguably MORE interesting than the temple itself — 470 Buddhist sculptures carved into the limestone cliff between the 10th and 14th centuries, including the famous 'Laughing Buddha' (大肚弥勒佛). Walk through this BEFORE the temple, in chronological order.
- ▸Lingyin Temple's main draws are the 24-meter wooden Sakyamuni Buddha (camphor wood, carved 1953) and the 500 Arhats Hall behind it — bronze life-size statues of Buddhist disciples in unique poses. Both are skipped by tour groups in a rush. Allow 90 minutes inside the temple, not 30.
- ▸The vegetarian cafeteria (素斋馆) inside the temple serves an authentic Buddhist meal for ¥30 — soup, three vegetable dishes, rice, dessert. One of the best meals in Hangzhou for the price. Skip if you've eaten elsewhere; otherwise plan to lunch here.
- ▸Lingyin is 8 km from West Lake — most travelers don't realize it's a separate half-day trip. Take Bus K7 from West Lake's Yue Wang Temple stop (40 min) or a ¥40 Didi. Don't combine with West Lake in 4-5 hours; you need a half-day.
- ▸Avoid weekends and Buddhist holidays (especially Buddha's Birthday on the 8th day of the 4th lunar month) when devotees pack the halls. Tuesday morning is the best time — incense atmosphere intact, no crowd pressure.
- ▸Skip the 'fortune-telling' monks outside the entrance — they are unaffiliated tout setups, not actual temple staff. The temple's real fortune-divination service (within the main shrine, free, requires no donation) is the legitimate version.
- ▸Photography of the carvings is allowed without flash; photography of monks/services inside the halls is discouraged. The Buddha hall ceiling is the photo most travelers miss — look up, the painted lotus medallions are 800 years old.
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Frequently asked questions about Lingyin Temple
- Do I need two separate tickets for Lingyin Temple?
- Yes. There is one ticket for the Feilai Feng scenic area, which holds the cliff carvings and outer grounds, and a second ticket to enter the temple proper. Buy both at the first gate so you are not turned away at the inner entrance. Many first-time visitors miss this and end up frustrated halfway through.
- What is Feilai Feng and is it worth seeing?
- Feilai Feng, the 'Peak Flying from Afar', is a limestone cliff beside the temple carved with around 470 Buddhist sculptures dating from the Tang, Song and Yuan dynasties. It is the largest cluster of stone carvings south of the Yangtze, including a famous laughing Buddha. Many travellers find it even more memorable than the temple itself.
- How do I get to Lingyin Temple and how long should I budget?
- It sits in the hills several kilometres west of West Lake, so treat it as a half-day rather than a quick add-on. You can reach it by bus from the lake or by a short taxi ride. Allow two to three hours to see the carvings, the main halls and perhaps a vegetarian temple lunch.
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