Chongqing Travel | Weekend Fun: Revisiting Huayan Temple After Many Years

Huayan Temple has a long history, dating back to the Tang and Song dynasties, and has been expanded over the years. Huayan Temple is located in Dalao Mountain, Huayan Township, Jiulongpo District, Chongqing, and is named after Huayan Cave on the south side of the temple. Huayan Temple is a Zen Buddhist temple, inheriting the 32nd generation of the Linji School of Master Poshang of Shuanggui Hall in Liangping County, Chongqing, for nearly 400 years. It is a municipal-level cultural relic protection unit in Chongqing, known as the "Spiritual Realm of Bashan", and is a popular weekend destination for citizens to pray for blessings. 🪭Special Experiences: Tea Drinking/Copying Sutras/Chanting Sutras All are in Guanyin Courtyard, and all are free ✨Tea Drinking🍵 There are many bamboo tables and chairs next to a pond in Guanyin Courtyard Get your own cup and water ✨Copying Sutras✍️ There are two options: hard pen and soft pen, and it takes about 1 hour to write with a soft pen Soft pen 9:00-15:00, hard pen 9:00-16:00 (You need to wash your hands before copying sutras A volunteer sister pours petal water for you to wash your hands, which is very ceremonial, haha) ✨Chanting Sutras📖 There are two chanting activities every day at the place where you copy sutras 10:00 am and 13:00 pm from Tuesday to Friday (not on Monday) A small book with pinyin will be distributed for you to follow the master in chanting, which takes about 40 minutes ✨Volunteers Volunteers can register directly at Guanyin Courtyard 8:30 am-17:00 pm, but there is no mandatory requirement You can come earlier or later 🚶Recommended Route The temple is very large, and it is recommended to spend 1-2 hours visiting it. Mountain Gate - Mahavira Hall - Outdoor Golden Buddha - Reception Hall - Relic Building - Huayan Lake Trail - Huayan Cave - Dharma Courtyard - Guanyin Courtyard - Buyun Bridge - Dizang Courtyard - Seven-step Lotus Pond Practical Information ⏱️Opening Hours: 8:00-17:00 🎫Free admission, and free incense is provided at every incense burning place, no need to bring your own. 🍚Vegetarian Meal: There are many signposts after entering the north gate of Huayan Temple, and it takes about 10 minutes to follow the signs. Lunch is served at 11:30, and I had lunch at 11:30. By 11:30, there were about 150 people in line, and the serpentine line folded three times. Cost: ¥8/person. 🚇Transportation: Exit 3 of Huadi Metro Line 5, take the escalator and go straight to the temple; Buses 891, 425, 843, etc.; there is a parking lot at the entrance for self-driving, and there are many cars on holidays.