Lingshan Giant Buddha

Lingshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area is located at Lingshan Road, Mashan Street, Binhu District, Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province. It is a national 5A-level tourist attraction and a well-known Buddhist cultural theme park in China. Centered on the Lingshan Giant Buddha, the scenic area integrates Buddhist culture, natural landscapes, and modern landscape design, showcasing profound Buddhist heritage and humanistic spirit. Covering an area of approximately 30 hectares, the main buildings include the Lingshan Giant Buddha, Nine-Dragon Bathing, Brahma Palace, and Xiangfu Temple. Among them, the Lingshan Giant Buddha, standing at 88 meters high, is one of the tallest bronze sitting Buddhas in the world. It was officially consecrated in 1997 and has become a landmark cultural landscape in Wuxi and even the East China region. Relying on the thousand-year history of Xiangfu Temple, the scenic area combines traditional Buddhist culture with modern tourism experiences, forming a tourist destination integrating prayer, sightseeing, and cultural experience.

Historical Culture

The historical and cultural foundation of the scenic area originates from Xiangfu Temple. Xiangfu Temple was founded during the Zhenguan period of the Tang Dynasty (627-649 AD), with a history of over 1,300 years. Originally named "Xiangfu Temple", it was renamed "Xiangfu Chan Yuan" in the Song Dynasty. After going through ups and downs, it was rebuilt in the Ming Dynasty and restored to "Xiangfu Temple". Historically, Xiangfu Temple had many eminent monks and flourishing incense, being an important Buddhist dojo in the Jiangnan region, with a deep connection to the spread of Buddhist culture.

The construction of the Lingshan Giant Buddha continues the Buddhist heritage of Xiangfu Temple. In 1994, the Lingshan Giant Buddha project was launched, aiming to "promote Buddhist culture and promote social harmony", and was completed after three years. The design of the Buddha integrates the plump and round features of Tang Dynasty Buddha statues with the realistic style of Song Dynasty Buddha statues, embodying the essence of traditional Buddhist statue art while incorporating modern craftsmanship, thus becoming a model of contemporary Buddhist art. Buildings such as the Nine-Dragon Bathing and Brahma Palace in the scenic area are also based on Buddhist classics, reproducing Buddhist stories and cultural connotations through artistic forms, allowing visitors to feel the profoundness of Buddhist culture during their tour.

Main Attractions

The Lingshan Giant Buddha is the core attraction of the scenic area. It is a bronze sitting statue of Sakyamuni, with a total height of 88 meters, including 79 meters for the Buddha's body and 9 meters for the lotus pedestal. It is composed of 1,560 bronze castings, with a total weight of over 700 tons. The Buddha faces south, with a kind expression. The right hand makes the "Fearless Mudra" and the left hand makes the "Wish-fulfilling Mudra", symbolizing the Buddha's compassion and blessing for all living beings. Visitors can climb up to the base of the lotus pedestal to feel the solemn momentum of the Buddha up close, or overlook the scenery of Taihu Lake and the surrounding mountains and rivers from the viewing platform at the foot of the Buddha. Since its consecration, the Giant Buddha has become a sacred place for many believers to pray and make wishes, attracting a large number of tourists every year.

Nine-Dragon Bathing

The Nine-Dragon Bathing is located in the square in front of the Lingshan Giant Buddha. It is a large-scale dynamic landscape built according to the Buddhist classic story of "the birth of the Buddha". The main body of the landscape is a 27.5-meter-high lotus platform, on which there is a gilded statue of Prince Sakyamuni, 7.2 meters high, symbolizing the Buddha's declaration of "I am the only one in heaven and on earth" at his birth. Surrounding it are nine giant dragons, 11 meters high, from whose mouths water columns up to 30 meters high can spout to bathe the prince statue. A "Buddha Bathing" performance is held regularly every day. When the music starts, the lotus slowly blooms, the prince statue rotates out, and the nine dragons spout water to bathe it, creating a spectacular scene. After the performance, staff will distribute "holy water" to visitors, implying good luck and prosperity.

Lingshan Brahma Palace

The Lingshan Brahma Palace is a landmark building in the scenic area integrating Buddhist art exhibition and cultural exchange. With a construction area of over 70,000 square meters, its architectural style combines traditional Chinese Buddhist architecture with Southeast Asian Buddhist architectural features, being magnificent and exquisite. The dome inside the palace is 34 meters high, painted with exquisite Buddhist murals and constellation patterns, which look like a starry sky when the lights change. The hall is filled with various artworks such as wood carvings, stone carvings, and jade carvings. Among them, the 17-meter-long "Lingshan Sacred Realm" wood carving screen, made of thousands of pieces of red sandalwood, is exquisitely carved. The Brahma Palace also regularly holds Buddhist cultural exhibitions and performances, such as the large-scale situational performance "Ode to Lingshan Auspiciousness", which reproduces classic Buddhist scenes through sound, light, and electricity technologies, bringing visitors a shocking artistic experience.

Xiangfu Temple

Xiangfu Temple is the oldest building in the scenic area, founded in the Tang Dynasty. The existing buildings were rebuilt on the original site in 1994. The temple is laid out along the central axis, including the mountain gate, Heavenly King Hall, Main Hall, and Scripture Storage Building, with a total construction area of about 5,000 square meters. In the Main Hall, there are three main Buddhas: Sakyamuni Buddha, Medicine Buddha, and Amitabha Buddha, each 12 meters high, looking solemn and respectful. The temple also preserves historical relics such as the ancient ginkgo tree from the Tang Dynasty and the stone pillars from the Song Dynasty, witnessing the thousand-year rise and fall of the temple. As a Buddhist activity site, Xiangfu Temple holds religious ceremonies such as morning and evening classes every day, where visitors can feel the quiet atmosphere of Buddhist practice.

Five Seal Stupa

The Five Seal Stupa is located on the west side of the scenic area. It is a building integrating Tibetan Buddhist architectural style and artistic characteristics, covering an area of about 5,000 square meters, 31.5 meters high, divided into three floors above ground and one floor underground. Centered on the Buddhist "Five Directions and Five Buddhas", the stupa enshrines statues of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of Tibetan Buddhism inside, decorated with a large number of thangkas, murals, butter sculptures and other artworks, with bright colors and exquisite craftsmanship. Visitors can climb up to the top floor of the stupa via the spiral staircase to overlook the surrounding landscape and learn about the culture and artistic characteristics of Tibetan Buddhism. The architectural layout and decorative details of the stupa follow Tibetan Buddhist rituals, witnessing the cultural exchange between Han and Tibetan Buddhism.

Cuisine

Lingshan Vegetarian Noodles

Lingshan Vegetarian Noodles is one of the most characteristic foods in the scenic area. It uses high-quality wheat flour to make noodles, accompanied by fresh ingredients such as mushrooms, bamboo shoots, fungus, and tofu. The soup is slowly simmered with vegetables and mushrooms, being light, refreshing, and nutritious. The production of vegetarian noodles follows the Buddhist concept of vegetarianism, without adding any animal ingredients, with a delicious taste, reflecting the dietary culture of "purity of heart and few desires". This dish can be tasted in the vegetarian restaurants around Xiangfu Temple, and when paired with the clear tea in the scenic area, it is more Zen-like.

Vegetarian Buns

Vegetarian buns are a characteristic snack in the scenic area. With flour as the skin, the filling is made by chopping and seasoning ingredients such as green vegetables, mushrooms, vermicelli, and dried tofu. They have a soft texture and a fresh and fragrant taste. The production process of vegetarian buns is exquisite, with the skin fully fermented and the filling reasonably matched, retaining the original flavor of the ingredients while having a sense of hierarchy. They are sold in the catering areas and vegetarian restaurants of the scenic area, suitable as snacks during the tour.

Wuxi Small Steamed Buns

Wuxi small steamed buns, a traditional famous food in Wuxi, are available in restaurants around the scenic area and in Wuxi City. Famous for their thin skin, full filling, and delicious soup, the filling is a mixture of pork and skin jelly. After being steamed, the skin jelly turns into soup, so you need to be careful of scalding when biting into them. They have a moderate salty and sweet taste, and are more refreshing when eaten with vinegar. After the tour, visitors can go to the urban area to taste authentic Wuxi small steamed buns and experience the local dietary characteristics.

Three Whites of Taihu Lake

The Three Whites of Taihu Lake refer to white fish, silver fish, and white shrimp in Taihu Lake, which are characteristic aquatic products in Wuxi. They can be tasted in restaurants along the Taihu Lake around the scenic area. White fish has tender meat and is suitable for steaming; silver fish has no thorns and can be scrambled with eggs or made into soup; white shrimp has a delicious taste and can be enjoyed by blanching. These ingredients are freshly caught and simply cooked, retaining the freshness of Taihu Lake aquatic products to the greatest extent, being an excellent choice for visitors to experience local flavors.

Tickets

Ticket price: 210 yuan per person.

You can search for the official WeChat public account "无锡灵山胜境" on WeChat to get the latest updates or buy tickets online.

Opening Hours

The opening hours of the scenic area are adjusted according to the season: from March 1 to October 31 every year, the opening hours are 7:30-17:30 (admission stops at 17:00); from November 1 to February 28 (or 29) of the next year, the opening hours are 8:00-17:00 (admission stops at 16:30). The performance time of "Ode to Lingshan Auspiciousness" is: 10:30, 11:30, 14:00, 16:00 every day from March 1 to October 31; 10:30, 14:00 every day from November 1 to February 28 (or 29) of the next year. The specific performance time may change due to seasons or holidays, so it is recommended that visitors check the scenic area announcement in advance.

Tour Route

It is recommended to spend 1 day for the tour. Arrive at the scenic area before 8:30 in the morning. After entering from the main gate, first go to the Nine-Dragon Bathing to watch the "Buddha Bathing" performance at 9:00 and participate in the activity of receiving "holy water" (about 1 hour); then go to the Lingshan Brahma Palace to visit the internal buildings and artworks, and watch the performance of "Ode to Lingshan Auspiciousness" at 10:30 (about 1.5 hours). At noon, you can have a meal in the vegetarian restaurant around the Brahma Palace (about 1 hour). At 13:30 in the afternoon, go to Xiangfu Temple to visit the temple buildings and feel the Buddhist atmosphere (about 1 hour); then climb up to the base of the Lingshan Giant Buddha to pay homage to the Buddha up close and overlook the panoramic view of the scenic area (about 1.5 hours); finally, go to the Five Seal Stupa to learn about Tibetan Buddhist culture (about 1 hour), and finish the trip and leave the scenic area before 16:30. If you have enough time, you can buy Buddhist-related souvenirs in the cultural shops in the scenic area.

Transportation

Bus: You can take Wuxi Bus No. 88 and 89 to Lingshan Shengjing Station directly. The fare is 2 yuan per person, the journey takes about 1 hour, and the interval between buses is 15-20 minutes.
Tourist Line: There is a tourist line "Happy Tour Line 2" in Wuxi connecting Wuxi Railway Station and Lingshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area. The fare is 10 yuan per person, the journey takes about 50 minutes, which is comfortable and convenient.
Self-driving: The scenic area has a large parking lot, with a charging standard of 20 yuan per time (for small cars). Self-driving tourists can search for "Wuxi Lingshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area Parking Lot" via navigation. The parking lot is about 300 meters away from the entrance of the scenic area.
Taxi/Online Car-hailing: Taking a taxi or online car-hailing from downtown Wuxi to the scenic area takes about 40-50 minutes. The cost varies according to the departure location, generally between 80-150 yuan.
High-speed Rail/Bullet Train: Foreign tourists can take high-speed rail or bullet train to Wuxi Station or Wuxi East Station. Wuxi Station can directly transfer to Bus No. 88, and Wuxi East Station needs to take Metro Line 2 to "Heliekou Station" first, then transfer to Bus No. 89 to reach the scenic area.

Must-visit Attractions

Lingshan Giant Buddha: An 88-meter-high bronze sitting statue, one of the tallest bronze Buddhas in the world. You can pay homage to it up close, feel its solemn momentum, and overlook the scenery of Taihu Lake.
Nine-Dragon Bathing: A 27.5-meter-high dynamic landscape with regular "Buddha Bathing" performances every day. The scene is spectacular, and you can receive "holy water" for blessing.
Lingshan Brahma Palace: With a construction area of over 70,000 square meters, integrating multiple architectural styles, it has exquisite artworks and the performance of "Ode to Lingshan Auspiciousness", allowing you to experience the charm of Buddhist art.
Xiangfu Temple: An ancient temple from the Tang Dynasty, with existing buildings rebuilt in 1994. It preserves historical relics, where you can feel the thousand-year inheritance of Buddhist culture and the quiet atmosphere.

Travel Tips

It is recommended to visit in spring and autumn when the weather is mild, suitable for outdoor activities. In summer, it is necessary to take sun protection measures; in winter, it is colder, so it is recommended to bring warm clothes.
Religious activities and performances in the scenic area have fixed times. It is recommended to check the daily performance schedule through official channels in advance, plan the itinerary reasonably, and avoid missing core experiences such as "Ode to Lingshan Auspiciousness" and "Buddha Bathing".
The scenic area is large, and it takes about 6-7 hours to visit on foot. It is recommended to wear comfortable sports shoes. You can also take a sightseeing bus in the scenic area, with a fare of 30 yuan per person, which can travel between major attractions.
For catering, it is recommended to choose vegetarian restaurants in the scenic area to taste characteristic vegetarian foods such as Lingshan Vegetarian Noodles and Vegetarian Buns, and experience Buddhist dietary culture. If you want to experience local flavors, you can go to restaurants in downtown Wuxi after the tour.
There are many tourists on holidays and weekends. It is recommended to arrive at the scenic area before 8:00 in the morning to avoid crowds and improve the tour experience.

Notes

The scenic area is a Buddhist cultural site. Visitors must abide by etiquette, keep quiet when entering temples, Brahma Palace and other areas, not make noise or chase, and respect religious beliefs.
When visiting Buddha statues and religious artworks, do not touch, climb or carve them. Abide by the regulations of scenic area signs and visit in a civilized manner.
During the Nine-Dragon Bathing performance, there may be water mist spraying in the front area of the platform. It is recommended to bring an umbrella or raincoat to avoid getting clothes wet; keep warm when watching in winter.
There are many steps in buildings such as the base of the Lingshan Giant Buddha and the Brahma Palace. Pay attention to safety during the tour, take good care of the elderly and children, and be cautious when the ground is slippery on rainy days.
Smoking and littering are prohibited in the scenic area. Take good care of the environment and keep the scenic area clean.
When buying souvenirs, it is recommended to choose official shops in the scenic area to avoid buying overpriced or counterfeit goods at informal stalls.