An old Chinese saying goes, "The whole year's work depends on a good start in spring". Spring is not just the time when Spring Festival falls; it is also a season where for generations Chinese have wished for blessings to bring luck and good fortune throughout the New Year. So, where are the best places for people to pray for these blessings? Below is a list of the places in China perfect for praying for that New Year luck!
Yonghe Temple, Beijing
Yonghe Temple, situated in the northeast part of downtown Beijing, is the largest and best-preserved lamasery in Beijing. As a famous site of the Lama Buddhist sect, the temple attracts many pilgrims and travelers every day. Based on the belief that incense offerings should be made as early as possible to improve one’s luck for the coming year, thousands of worshipers congregate outside the temple on the eve of Chinese New Year waiting to rush inside on the stroke of midnight.
Entry: 25 yuan/person
Opening Hours: 9:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m.
Getting there: Take Buses No. 13, 62, 116, 117, 684, or take subway Line 2 or 5 to Yonghegong Lama Temple Station, Exit C.
Nanshan Temple, Hainan
Nanshan Temple is located in Sanya Nanshan Buddhism Cultural Tourism Zone (三亚南山文化旅游区) which is one of the largest cultural tourist attractions of its kind in China. It has been deemed an auspicious and blessed place in Brahma. A giant 108-meter-tall statue of the Bodhisattva Guanyin, constructed out of gold, diamonds and jade, is the key feature of the temple. It is the world’s tallest outdoor statue of Guanyin.
Entry: 150 yuan/person
Opening Hours: 8:00 a.m.- 6:00 p.m.
Getting there: Take Xinguo Tourist Line to Nanshan.
Emei Mountain, Sichuan
As one of the four most divine Mountains of Buddhism in China, Mount Emei contains numerous temples and buildings that have borne witness to the development of Buddhism since the religion’s introduction to China over 2,000 years ago. Every morning streams of Buddhist pilgrims armed with joss sticks conquer the steep stairs of the mountain and swarm into the countless temples.
Entry: 185 yuan/person
Opening Hours: 6:00 a.m.- 6:30 p.m.
Getting there: Take a Chengdu-Leshan-Emeishan Intercity High-Speed Train to Emeishan Station, and then change to city bus 5A to this site.
Jiuhua Mountain, Anhui
The mountain's name literally means "nine glorious mountains". It is not only a sacred Buddhist mountain, but also home to other famous temples that have been revered since ancient times. Visitors are always impressed by the exquisite architecture and grand structure, among which Huacheng Temple (化城寺) is the oldest and holiest.
Entry: 190 yuan/person
Opening Hours: 8:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Getting there: Hefei Tourism Bus Station has regular buses to this mountain hourly from 10:00 a.m.- 3:00 p.m.
Lingyin Temple, Zhejiang
With a history of more than 1,600 years, Lingyin Temple is a Buddhist temple situated in the northwest of Hangzhou. Lingyin in Chinese literally means the soul’s retreat, so the temple is also called the Temple of Soul’s Retreat. There are many rock carvings of Buddha on Feilai Peak (飞来峰), where the temple is nestled. Among the carvings, the vivid image of Maitreya, the fat bare-bellied Buddha with a smiling face, has become the symbol of the Lingyin Temple.
Entry: 30 yuan/person
Opening Hours: 7:00 a.m.- 6:15 p.m.
Getting there: Take bus no. Y2, Holiday Line 4, 7, 324 or 807, and get off at Lingyin Station.
Putuo Mountain, Zhejiang
Putuo Mountain, sitting on a small island of the Zhoushan Archipelago, is one of China’s four sacred Buddhist Mountains. There are more than 200 temples on the mountain, with Puji, Fayu and Huiji being the largest and most famous. Travelers can absorb the unique culture through the sculptures, stone carvings and architectural style that is found there.
Entry: Putuo Mountain: 60 yuan
Opening hours: 6:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m.
Getting there: Take the ferry from Ningbo, Zhoushan to Putuo Mountain.
Wutai Mountain, Shanxi
Standing at the northeast part of Shanxi Province, Wutai Mountain is one of the four mountains of China sacred to Buddhism. It has the distinction of having been identified as the most prestigious and oldest one. 360 temples were built here dating back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907) but now only 47 of them exist. Among these magnificent temples, five are the most famous: Xiantong Temple, Tayuan Temple, Manjusri Temple, Shuxiang Temple, and Luohou Temple. Thousands of pilgrims and visitors come here every year.
Entry: 168 yuan/person (April- Oct.); 140 yuan/person (Nov. – March)
Opening Hours: 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Getting there: Take bus No.201 to Taiyuan East Long Distance Bus Station, where there are buses to Mount Wutai. It takes about 4 hours to Mount Wutai, and the fare is about 70 yuan per person.
Hanshan Temple , Suzhou
Located at the Fengqiao Town, 5 kilometers from Suzhou City, the Hanshan Temple was originally built during the reign of Tianjian in the Liang Dynasty, with a history of more than 1400 years. One of the most famous temples in the city, it has the most worshippers, with Chinese people from other parts of the country, and foreigners making pilgrimages to pray for good luck. The temple is famed in East Asia because of the well-known poem "A Night Mooring near Maple Bridge" written by Zhang Ji, a poet of the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907).
Wannian Temple, Sichuan
Established in the fifth year (401) of the Long'an reign of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, Wannian Temple is the oldest temple on Emei Mountain. The temple's nation-wide renown stems from its remarkable statue of Samantabhadra Buddha, or Puxian Bodhisattva in Chinese, as well as the precious artifacts it houses. The statue, featuring the Bodhisattva Puxian riding a white elephant, is 7.3 meters high and weighs 62 tons. In China, Samantabhadra Buddha is associated with action, so the temple is considered an ideal place for confession and prayer.
Wong Tai Sin Temple, Hong Kong
Wong Tai Sin Temple was established in 1921 and is located on the southern side of Lion Rock in the north of Kowloon. It is the most popular Taoist temple in Hong Kong as is also renowned among overseas Chinese in Southern Asia, Europe and America. It commemorates the famous monk Wong Tai Sin (also known as Huang Chu-ping), who was born around 328AD and became a deity at Red Pine Hill in his later life. Locals believe that every earnest prayer for Wong Tai Sin will ensure that your every wish will come true. As a result, the temple welcomes an endless procession of worshipers who come to burn incense and pray.
Suao Nantian Temple, Taiwan
Suao Nantian Temple, or Nantiangong, is one of the most famous Mazu temples in Taiwan. Mazu, also known as Tianhou, is an indigenous goddess of the sea who, it is said, protects fishermen and sailors. She is widely worshipped in the south-eastern coastal areas of China and neighboring areas in Southeast Asia, especially Zhejiang, Fujian, Taiwan, Guangdong, Hainan and Vietnam, all of which have strong sea-faring traditions. The three-storey Nantian Temple houses two marvelous statues of the goddess Mazu. One statue is made of jade, the other of 200kg of pure gold.
Famen Temple, Shaanxi
Famen Temple in Shaanxi Famen Temple is situated in Famen Town, 10 kilometers north of Fufeng County, Shaanxi Province. With a history of over 1,700 years, the temple was built in the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220). It began to prosper during the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534), and reached its peak in the Sui and Tang dynasties (581-907), when it was renowned as an imperial temple. In addition to its long, rich history, the place has also become a place of pilgrimage for millions of travelers and Buddhists alike as it houses one of Gautama Buddha's finger bones.
