Lingyin Temple(Yunlin Temple)

Lingyin Temple, also known as "Yunlin Temple," is located at the foot of Lingyin Mountain on the west side of West Lake. With its serene environment, it is the oldest renowned temple in Hangzhou, preserving numerous exquisite cultural relics from various dynasties. This is the place where Jigong became a monk, and it is said that prayers made here are very efficacious, attracting a continuous stream of worshippers every day.

Seventeen hundred years of trials have made Lingyin Temple a treasure trove of history and culture: the plaque inscribed "Yunlin Chan Temple" hanging in the heavenly king hall was written by Emperor Kangxi of the Qing dynasty; the stone pagoda in front of the main hall and the stone sutra pillar in front of the heavenly king hall are relics from the Wuyue period of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms; the temple houses precious Buddhist artifacts such as ancient palm-leaf scriptures, a gilded statue from the Eastern Wei dynasty, a handwritten copy of the "Diamond Sutra" by Dong Qichang of the Ming dynasty, and the wooden dragon sutra from the Yongzheng era of the Qing dynasty. Lingyin Temple is also where the monk "Jigong" (Daoji) was ordained. In the Daoji Chan Master Hall of Lingyin Temple, a statue of Jigong is enshrined, holding a broken fan in his right hand, prayer beads in his left, and resting his right foot on a wine jar.

Lingyin Temple is nestled against the Northern Peak and faces Feilai Peak. Though Feilai Peak is not tall, it features numerous fantastically shaped caves and over 340 Buddhist rock carvings dating back to the Five Dynasties period, making it a rare gem of ancient grotto art in southern China. The temple enjoys year-round bustling incense offerings, especially on the first and fifteenth days of the lunar month or major Buddhist festivals, when devotees flock from all directions, creating massive crowds.