This is NOT a Tourist Attraction! Seriously, Just DON'T!!!
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Hello, everyone! Today, I want to talk about Lingyan Mountain Temple in Suzhou. It is one of the three major temples in Suzhou, and it's especially famous for the legendary Beauty Xi Shi and an ancient palace of the king of Wu. Additionally, its vegetarian noodles were once extremely well-known, so a lot of tourists come here to visit.
However, if you just consider this place as a regular tourist attraction, let me advise you: Better not come!!! You might end up being disappointed like me!!!
Fees
- Entry to Lingyan Mountain itself is free of charge.
- The temple charges a symbolic entry fee of 1 RMB, which can be paid in cash, online or by scanning a QR code.
(I must add that it’s quite commercialized since they partner with "Tongcheng Tourism". There are a bunch of payment QR codes at the entrance making it look like the entry fee is over a few hundred Yuan. This seems like making a small issue into a major one...)
Is it worth the visit?
- If your intention is to check out a scenic area, I personally don't recommend…
Historical Perspective:
The temple has had its historical significance – it was built on the site of the ancient Wu King Fuchai's palace constructed for the legendary Beauty Xi Shi – but its relics are overly protected with locks and lights, lacking any appeal.From the perspective of playing and sightseeing:
This is purely a temple. After asking staff members at the entrance about the supposed relics, their confusion was evident. Most things referred to as relics are located in a small park to the west of the temple.Also, there’s no clear answer to whether the park’s contents date back to the king Wu period or were reconstructed during the republic of China era.
About the noodles:
The vegetarian noodle dish (a type of vegetarian noodles) this place once became extremely famous for now lacks the taste, completely a different thing than what legend says. It isn’t worth traveling here to satisfy your appetite anymore.In summary:
This place feels a bit like some official institutes next to the Forbidden City in Beijing, with a high-and-majestic feel, losing the charm of a temple. Therefore, if you visit as a tourist attraction, I don't recommend here; however, for praying and offering incense, it's worth visiting!
IMPORTANT NOTICE: STOP!
DON'T take aerial photos using drones! DON'T take aerial photos using drones! DON'T take aerial photos using drones!
Even if you couldn't find any "No Flying" signs from the foot of the mountain to the temple, it's absolutely forbidden here! The consequences would be severe! Don't risk it!
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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.