Chengdu | Yingtian Temple, a lesser-known temple accessible by subway.

Yingtian Temple was first built during the Tianjian period of the Liang Dynasty, more than 1,400 years ago. It was a place of refuge for Emperor Xizong of Tang, and was named "Yingtian Temple" by the emperor, meaning "to comply with the will of heaven and the people". The temple was rebuilt several times after being destroyed in wars, and now has a composite architectural style of the Tang, Ming, and Qing Dynasties and modern times. It is relatively quiet with few visitors. The temple has a Maitreya Hall, Mahavira Hall, Jade Buddha Hall, and Great Compassion Hall, which have been around for more than 1,500 years, but are now mostly rebuilt on the original site. There are also the "three wonders" of poetry, calligraphy, and painting. Don't miss the Zen sayings, plaques, and couplets on the walls. There is a well in the temple called the Zhuge Well, which is said to have been left by Zhuge Liang more than 1,900 years ago. It is currently under repair, as is one of the tea gardens. 📍Address: 530 meters southeast of the intersection of Mulan Road and Dajian Road, Shuangliu District, Chengdu 🚇Transportation: Walk 740 meters from Exit B of Yingtian Temple Station on Line 10 ⌛️Time needed: 1–3 hours (The temple is not big, and you can finish the visit quickly if you don't eat vegetarian food or drink tea) 💰Admission: Free ⏰Opening hours: 07:00–18:00 ⚠️Notes: ① There is another temple called Baiyun Temple two stops away from Yingtian Temple Station. You can visit both if you have time. ② Vegetarian food is served at 11:30 am. You need to buy a meal ticket before queuing. There are more people eating vegetarian food on weekends, so you can queue up a little earlier. You can add more if you don't have enough. The food is delicious and highly recommended. ③ Vegetarian food is CNY 10 per person, and Zen tea is at least CNY 15 per cup. Find a seat by yourself. ④ There are many osmanthus trees in the courtyard, but unfortunately we missed the flowering season. It is highly recommended to visit when the osmanthus is in bloom, as it must be very fragrant.