No. 1: Lingyin Temple, Hangzhou, Zhejiang

(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on December 5, 2011.)

This Vairocana Buddha (毗卢遮那佛) and the two bodhisattvas at his
sides are located in the uppermost hall at Lingyin Si (灵隐寺) in
Hangzhou, Zhejiang (浙江, 杭州市), the first "official" temple I visited.

August 18, 2009 - In the summer of 2009, I discovered a list of 142 Buddhist sites designated "Key Temples" by the central government back in 1983. I immediately set out to start seeing all of them. In this new column, I'll chronicle my adventures, and offer some tips on seeing these temples and the surrounding places of interest in China.

My first excursion, in August of that year, was to Zhejiang, since I had friends living in Beilun, a suburb of Ningbo. After spending a night with them, I hopped a highway bus for the 2-1/2 hour ride to Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang.