This is NOT a Tourist Attraction! Seriously, Just DON'T!!!
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The author should really look into the history of Lingyan Temple and the story behind its one-yuan entrance fee before commenting on whether it's commercialized. Honestly, for many Suzhou locals, including new residents, Lingyan Temple is much more than just a scenic spot for admiring ruins or views. We've never felt that 'imperial, high-and-mighty' attitude the article mentions. Quite the opposite, we see Lingyan Temple as incredibly down-to-earth and welcoming – a place where we can hike with family, enjoy a vegetarian meal, and burn incense during our free time. Many temples in Suzhou share this feeling; we've never found them to be commercialized.
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Absolutely! This brings back so many childhood memories. Lingyan Mountain, Xiyuan Garden, and similar places are genuinely not commercialized at all. Xiyuan Garden, in particular, even declined a 4A scenic rating to steer clear of commercialization.
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Regarding the one-yuan entrance fee, an old monk mentioned in an interview that it's purely for statistical purposes – to count the number of visitors. There's no commercial intent behind it.
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I had the chance to visit back in 2012, and their vegetarian noodles were amazing. That's actually when I started to love bamboo shoots.
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I used to adore this temple. About ten years ago, I chanced upon it during a snowfall, and the Mudu Ancient Town at the foot of the mountain was lovely to explore too. However, on a later visit, the entire ascent was filled with blaring announcements about not burning incense and loud music. That tranquil Zen atmosphere was completely shattered.
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The temple doesn't allow incense burning?
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I've seen quite a few aerial videos online. What problem did the blogger run into?
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Got 'greeted' by security with an anti-drone jammer. Nearly wrecked my drone.
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Hey OP, have you ever been to Baihe Temple? I passed by once and was absolutely stunned. I'm not in Suzhou anymore, so could you check it out for me?
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Alright, after the New Year.
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Casually labeling things and acting like a know-it-all is disrespectful to history and other people. Jumping to conclusions without in-depth understanding is simply a sign of ignorance.
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The OP is 1000% not a local.
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It's right near my home.
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Great place.
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How did you get the impression that it's 'high and mighty'? That's a bit baffling. I've always found it very approachable and down-to-earth.
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To see the cats.
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If you want to see cats, you should go to Xiyuan Garden. There are more of them there, and they're friendlier.