Xingfu Temple
Xingfu Temple
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BetCrooks
Toronto, Canada840 contributions
Xing Fu Buddhist Temple
兴福寺 xing fú sì
兴福寺
江苏省.苏州市 常熟市寺路街148号
电话[--]
Bright Light Good Fortune Temple
Suzhou Changshu Temple Road Street 148
Xing Fu is a working temple, not a museum. It is important to be respectful of the monks that are praying and working in the temple. It is located about mid-way along the east side of Yu Mountain.
There has been a temple on this site for about 1500 years. Many of the buildings are new, built from the old plans. Wooden buildings burn easily, and there are strict rules to control where fire, smoking, and incense are permitted.
There is an admission fee for the temple (10 yuan per person in March 2009).
Outside the temple, when we visited, there was a small market. This market was meant for Chinese, not foreign tourists. Some of the items for sale are for use at the temple. For example, we bought our incense sticks at this market. They also sell plants, herbs for medicines, decorations, jewellery and other small goods.
We bought some of the machine-embroidered knots for hanging as decorations. They are about 5-8 cm in diameter. They cost about 3 yuan each. In Suzhou, the same souvenirs at stalls selling to foreigners cost 10-15 yuan each. They are not very well made, so 3 yuan is a good price.They also had some decorations with portraits of Chairman Mao.
The temple complex is very large. There is a map in Chinese at the entrance gate. There is also some information about the temple on a sign in English and Chinese at the entrance.
As well as statues of Buddha, there are statues of other Buddhist religious figures. One guards Buddha, by standing at his back. He holds a sword.
Inside one of the buildings was the XingFu rock. The rock may look like the character Xing from one side, and like Fu from the other.
The temple was very beautiful. We would like to explore more.
When we left the temple, we needed to find a taxi to return to our hotel. The temple is not on a busy street. Luckily, a taxi did come by as we walked towards the city. There are some restaurants not too far from the temple, but it would take some walking to get to them. In March, these were not busy, but perhaps in summer it would be easier to get a taxi from them, if necessary.
The start of the cable car ride to the top of Yu Mountain is close to the Xing Fu temple. We did not try using it as it was getting dark at 5:30 p.m. (There is an admission fee, but I do not know what it is.)
兴福寺 xing fú sì
兴福寺
江苏省.苏州市 常熟市寺路街148号
电话[--]
Bright Light Good Fortune Temple
Suzhou Changshu Temple Road Street 148
Xing Fu is a working temple, not a museum. It is important to be respectful of the monks that are praying and working in the temple. It is located about mid-way along the east side of Yu Mountain.
There has been a temple on this site for about 1500 years. Many of the buildings are new, built from the old plans. Wooden buildings burn easily, and there are strict rules to control where fire, smoking, and incense are permitted.
There is an admission fee for the temple (10 yuan per person in March 2009).
Outside the temple, when we visited, there was a small market. This market was meant for Chinese, not foreign tourists. Some of the items for sale are for use at the temple. For example, we bought our incense sticks at this market. They also sell plants, herbs for medicines, decorations, jewellery and other small goods.
We bought some of the machine-embroidered knots for hanging as decorations. They are about 5-8 cm in diameter. They cost about 3 yuan each. In Suzhou, the same souvenirs at stalls selling to foreigners cost 10-15 yuan each. They are not very well made, so 3 yuan is a good price.They also had some decorations with portraits of Chairman Mao.
The temple complex is very large. There is a map in Chinese at the entrance gate. There is also some information about the temple on a sign in English and Chinese at the entrance.
As well as statues of Buddha, there are statues of other Buddhist religious figures. One guards Buddha, by standing at his back. He holds a sword.
Inside one of the buildings was the XingFu rock. The rock may look like the character Xing from one side, and like Fu from the other.
The temple was very beautiful. We would like to explore more.
When we left the temple, we needed to find a taxi to return to our hotel. The temple is not on a busy street. Luckily, a taxi did come by as we walked towards the city. There are some restaurants not too far from the temple, but it would take some walking to get to them. In March, these were not busy, but perhaps in summer it would be easier to get a taxi from them, if necessary.
The start of the cable car ride to the top of Yu Mountain is close to the Xing Fu temple. We did not try using it as it was getting dark at 5:30 p.m. (There is an admission fee, but I do not know what it is.)
Written 25 June 2009
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Katarina65
Pleasanton, CA21 contributions
This is a nice smaller temple, not over-crowded, relaxing and nice grounds. The people are very friendly. Nice looking tea house next door, looked like a nice place to have a bite to eat.
Written 16 November 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
awbacker
Changshu, China9 contributions
Very peaceful walk around the grounds, quiet and relaxing. Most people seem to go earlyish, since it was 3pm and the restaurnt outside was full but the temple was almost empty, and it was a vacation week. Entrance fee is 10元, and the door is to the right of the entrance. The XingFu stone is in a large temple in the middle, but you can't see it from the main door. There is a large gold budda, and statues of golden monks around the left side. Walk past them to see the stone.
The Tram to the top of Yu Mountain is literally around the corner. 30元 up, 50元 for round trip I believe. Tickets stop at 4pm, rides stop at 4:30pm. Form the top you can walk down, either back to the temple (hard to see) or on the main car road, which drops you back near Parkson mall and the KingGrace hotel.
The Tram to the top of Yu Mountain is literally around the corner. 30元 up, 50元 for round trip I believe. Tickets stop at 4pm, rides stop at 4:30pm. Form the top you can walk down, either back to the temple (hard to see) or on the main car road, which drops you back near Parkson mall and the KingGrace hotel.
Written 6 October 2010
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Evgenia P
13 contributions
Mar 2018 • Family
Good place , very like ) I really enjoyed it. Not the usual atmosphere, good monks, bamboo forest, incredibly beautiful . There was motionball Confucius
Written 24 March 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kleber_Bragato
Dhaka City, Bangladesh14 contributions
Jun 2016 • Solo
Amazing temple!
Many halls with different Buddha.
Built-in 1130 and still with a good maintenance.
You can keep
Many halls with different Buddha.
Built-in 1130 and still with a good maintenance.
You can keep
Written 1 June 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
hotpatooties
Changshu, China7 contributions
May 2013 • Friends
This temple was very beautiful and tucked away in a lovely quieter place in Changshu. It is surrounded by the most delicious restaurants I have ever been too, most of them vegetarian. I am not a vegetarian, but after tasting some of the dishes in the restaurants there I would happily convert! The monks were extremely friendly and told us a little about what they do there and what certain things mean, they were eager to answer whatever questions we had about the temple (you will need someone who speaks Chinese to converse with most of them). This was all in all a lovely place to visit.
Written 30 July 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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