Temple-hopping has become a surprisingly popular way for young people in China to reset their minds—but for me, end-of-year temple walks started long before it became a trend. This post is a personal travel journal (with a practical route) from Hangzhou in winter: how I began in the dark at Faxi Temple, slipped into Lingyin before the crowds fully arrived, and ended on Beigao Peak—half day, a lot of steps, and a real sense of reflection and refreshment.
Why Temples, and Why Hangzhou
China is home to multiple religious traditions, and what we casually call a “temple” can refer to Buddhist monasteries, Taoist temples, and folk shrines dedicated to local deities. Hangzhou—famous worldwide for West Lake—also happens to be one of those cities where spiritual history is woven into the landscape. Hills, forests, stone paths, and centuries-old architecture make it easy to understand why so many people come here not only to sightsee, but also to slow down.
In the last few years, “temple travel” has gone viral on Chinese social media. People explain it in many ways: pressure, anxiety, the desire to find meaning, the need to feel protected, or simply the wish to be somewhere quieter than daily life.
I relate to all of that—but my own connection is simpler. Whenever I stand at a temple gate, my mind becomes unusually calm. When I put my hands together to pray, it’s as if I can finally hear what my deepest thoughts have been trying to say all year. That’s why this has become one of my personal year-end rituals: not a checklist, but a pause—an intentional moment of reflection and refreshment.
If you’d like more Hangzhou photo ideas beyond temples, I also put together a small guide here: Hangzhou Photography Guide (Beyond West Lake).
My Winter Morning Route (5:30 AM–Noon)
This is the exact route I followed in December 2025. It’s designed for winter (short daylight, colder mornings) and for avoiding crowds as much as possible while still seeing the “musts.”
05:30 – Leave early (while it’s still dark)
- Take a taxi to Shangtianzhu / Faxi Temple area (or the nearby parking point)
~06:00 – Walk in (about 25 minutes) and arrive at Faxi Temple
- Starting before sunrise is the whole trick here
~06:30 – Finish Faxi Temple
- Taxi or walk onward toward Lingyin
~07:30 – Enter Lingyin area and begin temple-hopping on foot
- Lingyin Temple
- Yongfu Temple (a quieter, more layered stop)
- Continue uphill toward Taoguang Temple (less crowded, more “mountain air”)
Late morning – Cable car up to Beigao Peak
- Visit Lingshun Temple (the famous “God of Wealth” temple)
- Take the cable car / shuttle / bus down depending on energy and timing
~12:00 – Head down and return to the city
What I Experienced (and What Stayed With Me)
Before sunrise: Faxi Temple felt almost unreal
Most of the time, my first stop is Shangtianzhu Faxi Temple, known for its connection to Guanyin (Avalokitesvara). I leave around 5:30 AM, arriving when the sky is still black, so I can be among the first visitors at opening. On ordinary days (not holidays or major festivals), there are often fewer than ten people entering around the same time.
That pre-dawn atmosphere is hard to describe if you’ve never experienced it. The temple is large, but the darkness makes it feel even larger—quiet, still, almost weightless. As the morning slowly brightens, the courtyard lights glow warm against the winter air. There’s no rush, no noise, no “tour group rhythm.” I usually walk the whole temple in about 30–40 minutes, and because everything is calm and orderly, you can actually focus—on your breath, your steps, your thoughts, your private hopes. It’s not a performance. It’s a deeply immersive kind of silence.
And yes—something slightly strange happens to me sometimes: after certain moments of prayer, I feel a brief wave of heat rising along my back, and then it fades once I step away. I can’t scientifically prove what that is, but it’s consistent enough that I’ve learned not to overthink it. I just treat it as a reminder: my body remembers things my mind tries to ignore.
Daylight arrives: Lingyin is famous for a reason, but the “quiet” is elsewhere
By the time I reach the Lingyin / Feilai Peak area, the sky is fully bright. Lingyin Temple is the most famous temple in Hangzhou—so I always prepare myself mentally: it will not feel empty, and it will not feel “purely quiet,” especially later in the morning. If you come here expecting a serene, private experience, you might feel disappointed.
But here’s what surprised me (and saved the day): the real treasure of this area isn’t only the main temple. It’s the Feilai Peak grottoes and stone carvings, plus the smaller temples around it. When you shift your focus from “I must feel peaceful” to “I’m here to observe and receive,” the whole place becomes much richer.
My personal favorite: Yongfu Temple, and then higher into the hills
Yongfu Temple sits close to Lingyin, but it feels completely different—more layered, more garden-like, more “a destination on its own.” In autumn, with red leaves and golden light, it can be breathtaking. Even in winter, it still has that gentle, quietly structured beauty—bamboo, stone steps, little streams, and the kind of calm that doesn’t need to announce itself.
After Lingyin, I like to continue uphill for about 25–30 minutes toward Taoguang Temple. It’s higher, quieter, and noticeably less crowded. You hear more birds than people. You feel more mountain than tourism. It’s the kind of place that lets you recover the original reason you came.
From there, I kept climbing about another 30 minutes and reached Beigao Peak, where the mood changes again—open views, stronger wind, and a sense of arriving at the “top” of the morning. This is also where you’ll find Lingshun Temple, famously associated with the God of Wealth. The incense is strong, the faith is loud, and the wishes are extremely practical. I’ll admit it: I also prayed—for money, for love, for steadiness, for luck. Some desires are too human to pretend we don’t have them.
By the time I headed down around noon, I was tired (this route is absolutely a workout), but it was the good kind of tired—the kind that makes your mind feel clean. And that, to me, is the real point of a year-end temple walk: not escaping life, but returning to it with a clearer heart.
Practical Notes (so it’s actually enjoyable)
- Go early if you want calm. After ~8:00 AM, traffic and crowds increase quickly.
- Check ticket/reservation rules for Lingyin/Feilai Peak before you go (policies can change by season and holidays).
- Wear proper shoes: you’ll walk a lot, and the uphill sections add up fast.
- Bring a small breakfast if you’re starting at dawn—many shops won’t be open that early, especially in winter.
- Don’t rely on taxis after peak hours for going up/down the mountain. Plan for cable car / shuttle / bus options.
- Pace yourself: this is a half-day route, but it can feel like a full hike if you’re not used to stairs.
If you’re trying to keep travel photography gentle and unhurried, these three simple habits help a lot.