Lingyin Temple, Buddhist temple in Xihu District, Hangzhou, China
Lingyin Temple is a Buddhist monastery in Xihu District, Hangzhou, China, bringing together several halls and pavilions across a forested site. The buildings follow a central pathway leading from a paved entrance area through courtyards lined with cypress trees toward the rear main halls.
Indian monk Huili founded the site in 328 as a place for meditation and study. During the Five Dynasties period, the monastery housed over three thousand monks and ranked among the most important religious centers in southern China.
The name translates to Temple of the Soul's Retreat, referring to its forested setting away from urban noise. Monks and visitors still pass through traditional courtyards where incense burns and worshippers kneel before altars.
The grounds open daily from seven in the morning and close after nightfall. A combined ticket grants access to both the monastery and nearby Feilai Peak, reached by stairs and pathways.
Inside the grand hall sits a wooden figure of Shakyamuni Buddha nearly twenty-five meters (80 feet) tall on a lotus flower. Surrounding this central statue are one hundred and fifty smaller Buddha carvings set into the walls.
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