Lingyin Temple and Feilai Peak: Plan the Visit Separately
Visit Lingyin Temple and Feilai Peak in Hangzhou: temple halls, 340 cliff carvings, free entry with a time-slot reservation, and pairing it with West Lake.
Contents
Lingyin Temple stands west of Hangzhou's West Lake, in a wooded valley with Beigao Peak behind it and Feilai Peak in front. Founded in 326 CE, it is the oldest Buddhist temple in Hangzhou. The Mahavira Hall holds a 24.8 m seated Shakyamuni carved from 24 pieces of camphor wood.[1] The halls and the cliff carvings are two separate things to see, so plan for both.
The halls run along a central axis: the Hall of the Heavenly Kings, Mahavira Hall, Medicine Buddha Hall, Dharma Hall and Huayan Hall, with the Five Hundred Arhats Hall alongside.[1]
Choose between the halls and the cliff carvings
Start with the temple if you want its central halls and religious architecture. Feilai Peak is the outdoor counterpart: more than 340 Buddhist figures, made between the Five Dynasties and the Yuan, are carved into its cliffs and natural caves, the largest group of grotto sculpture in southeast China. The finest are along the stream at the foot of the hill. At the mouth of the Longhong Cave stands a nine-metre, seven-storey pagoda from the Ming dynasty, the only Ming pagoda left in Hangzhou.[2] If the carvings matter to you, give them their own time rather than treating Feilai Peak as scenery on the way to the temple.
Things to Do
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Free entry, with a reservation
Entry to the whole Lingyin Feilai Peak scenic area, including Lingyin, Yongfu and Taoguang temples, has been free since 1 December 2025.[3] You reserve a time slot in your own name in the "Hangzhou Lingyin Feilai Peak" mini-program on Alipay or WeChat. The area is open 07:30 to 17:30, with last entry at 17:00.[4]
Slots open up to seven days ahead, from 08:00 each morning, and you must book at least one day in advance: there are no same-day bookings. A booking is valid only for the day and half-day slot you chose (morning 07:30 to 12:00, afternoon 12:00 to 17:00), and each ID can enter once a day. Mainland Chinese visitors book with an ID card, foreign visitors with a passport. Visitors aged 70 and over do not need a reservation.[4]
Since 1 February 2026 you can cancel until 17:00 on the day before your visit, and a fully booked slot can be joined through an online waiting list instead of a queue at the gate. A booking you neither use nor cancel counts as a no-show and suspends your booking account for 30 days.[5] In typhoon weather the temples close at short notice: they closed on 9 August 2026 and reopened on 11 August.[6]
Plan a half-day, then add the lake if it fits
A half-day is enough for the temple halls and the Feilai Peak carvings without rushing. If you have less time, choose the side that matters more to you. The temple lies west of West Lake, so the two pair well in one Hangzhou day: leave time for the transfer between them.
Practical details
The temple is at 1 Fayun Lane, Lingyin Road, Hangzhou, and the temple hall answers the phone on +86 571 8796 8665.[1] The scenic area runs a 24-hour information and rescue line on 0571-87969691.[4] For broader onward planning, see the China travel guide.
Sources and background
Numbers in the text such as [1] refer to these sources.
- [1] Hangzhou Lingyin Temple official website: 灵隐简介. Retrieved October 22, 2026.
- [2] Hangzhou Lingyin Temple official website: 作为“佛国山”的灵隐飞来峰. Retrieved October 22, 2026.
- [3] Hangzhou Municipal Government, eHangzhou portal; Xinhua report, photographs credited to Hangzhou Daily: Hangzhou's Lingyin Feilai Peak Scenic Area launches free admission service. Retrieved October 22, 2026.
- [4] Hangzhou West Lake Scenic Area Lingyin Management Office, published on the Lingyin Temple website: 杭州灵隐飞来峰景区预约游览须知. Retrieved October 22, 2026.
- [5] Hangzhou Metropolitan Express (Dushi Kuaibao) via Hangzhou.com.cn, reporting the Lingyin Management Office's reservation rules: 2月1日起，灵隐飞来峰景区预约再优化. Retrieved October 22, 2026.
- [6] Hangzhou Buddhist Association, published on the Lingyin Temple website: 关于西湖景区佛教寺院恢复开放的通告. Retrieved October 22, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
The temple is the group of halls on the temple grounds. Feilai Peak is the cliff and cave landscape opposite, with more than 340 Buddhist carvings. Both are covered by the same free reservation.
Entry to the Lingyin Feilai Peak scenic area, including Lingyin, Yongfu and Taoguang temples, has been free since 1 December 2025. You reserve a time slot in your own name, at least one day and up to seven days ahead, in the "Hangzhou Lingyin Feilai Peak" mini-program on Alipay or WeChat.
No. Entry to the scenic area and the temples is free. The only requirement is a time-slot reservation, except for visitors aged 70 and over, who can enter without one.
A half-day is enough for the temple halls and the Feilai Peak carvings without rushing. If your schedule is tighter, choose one focus.
Yes, in one Hangzhou day if the timing works. The temple lies west of West Lake, but the two are separate stops, so leave time for the transfer and keep to your reserved slot.
The temple is at 1 Fayun Lane, Lingyin Road, Hangzhou. The temple hall answers the phone on +86 571 8796 8665, and the scenic area runs a 24-hour information and rescue line on 0571-87969691.
Reserve your slot at least a day ahead. The area is open 07:30 to 17:30 with last entry at 17:00, and your booking is valid only for the day and half-day slot you chose. Cancel before 17:00 on the day before if your plans change, or your account is suspended for 30 days.
