Come by fate, arrive with heart: Mount Jiuhua, a sanctuary for the soul

⛰️ Mount Jiuhua is most famous for its Buddhist culture卍, with numerous temples. This guide starts by getting you well acquainted with them. 1️⃣ Temple Worship Worship the flesh-body Bodhisattva: Ganlu Temple, Tonghui Zen Forest, Zhantan Zen Forest, Baisui Palace, Flesh-body Treasure Hall, Shuangxi Temple. Seeking a marriage match : Flesh-body Treasure Hall (do not look back when climbing the stairs, after burning incense and bowing, join hands and circle the Treasure Hall clockwise three times, silently chanting 'Namo Dizang Wang Pusa') Seeking peace: Baisui Palace Seeking career: Ganlu Temple, Tiantai Temple Seeking wealth💰: Min Gong Hall Seeking blessings: Gion Temple Seeking health: Huacheng Temple Seeking offspring: The Great Compassion Treasure Hall of Zhantan Zen Forest, Jingjie Hermitage ❗Attention: 1. Do not buy additional incense; free incense is provided when worshipping at the mountain. 2. Offering incense: Offer incense outside the hall, take incense with the left hand, light it, hold the incense with the right hand, wrap the left hand around the right hand, bow three times facing Buddha, then bow clockwise to the four directions, finally insert the incense with the left hand. 3. Making a wish: Kneel on the cushion, join hands, silently chant 'Buddha's name + your own name + address + what you seek + where you will repay the vow' and bow with palms facing up. 2️⃣ Itinerary🗺 a. One-day trip Route one: Gion Temple → Baisui Palace → Five Hundred Arhats Hall → Feilai Guanyin Peak → Dongya Zen Temple → Huixiang Pavilion → Wanfo Temple → Tonghui Zen Forest → Zhantan Zen Forest → Huacheng Temple → Shangchan Hall → Flesh-body Treasure Hall. Route two: Gion Temple → Baisui Palace cable car → Baisui Palace → Flesh-body Treasure Hall → Shangchan Temple → Jiuhua Street (morning 2～2.5h); Zhantan Zen Forest → Huacheng Temple → Tonghui Zen Forest (afternoon 1h). Route three: Dajue Zen Temple → Ancient Prayer Platform → Tiantai Summit → Guanyin Peak Lower Monastery → Tiantai Temple → Phoenix Pine → Minyuan Nunnery Cluster. b. Two-day trip Route one Day1: Huacheng Temple → Shangchan Temple → Flesh-body Treasure Hall → Changsheng Hermitage → Baisui Palace → Gion Temple. Day2: Huxing Mountain Station → Dajue Zen Temple → Ancient Prayer Platform → Tiantai Temple → Cable car down the mountain → Minyuan Nunnery Cluster → Phoenix Pine. Route two Day1: Baisui Palace → Five Hundred Arhats Hall → Dongya Zen Temple → Huixiang Pavilion → Wanfo Pagoda → Jiuhua Street (morning); Huacheng Temple → Shangchan Temple → Flesh-body Treasure Hall → Dizang Zen Temple → Zhantan Zen Forest → Tonghui Zen Forest → Gion Temple (afternoon). Day2: Huxing Mountain Station → Ancient Prayer Platform → Tiantai Summit (morning); Huiju Temple → Minyuan Nunnery Cluster → Phoenix Pine (afternoon). 3️⃣ Hiking🏃🏻 time (for reference only) 1. Baisui Palace → Flesh-body Treasure Hall: about 50 minutes. 2. Walking up to Baisui Palace: about 40 minutes. 3. Walking from the cable car station up to Tiantai: about 140 minutes; walking down Tiantai: about 60 minutes. 4. Walking up to the top of Flesh-body Treasure Hall: about 40 minutes. 4️⃣ Ticket prices💰 1. Entrance ticket: 140/person 2. Round-trip bus: 50/person 3. Tiantai cable car/Baisui Mountain cable car: 45/single trip, 80/round trip 4. Huatai cable car: 65/single trip, 120/round trip 5️⃣ Accommodation🏠 1. On the mountain: Stay in Jiuhua Street, no need to re-enter the mountain, hotels are more expensive than at the foot of the mountain. 2. At the foot of the mountain: Hotels are cheaper, shop owners can pick you up at the station, you need to buy another bus ticket for 50r to re-enter the mountain. 6️⃣ Bus ride🚌 Tourist Center: Entry point for buses going up the mountain; Yingxian Bridge Station: Point for buses coming down the mountain. Huxing Mountain Station: Bus point from Jiuhua Street to Tiantai; Phoenix Pine Station: Bus point from Tiantai back to Jiuhua Street. 7️⃣ Additionally 1. Do not buy water at the foot of the mountain. 2. You can bring a small amount of change. 3. Take the official bus for sightseeing. 4. Bring two bottles of water and some energy-boosting food.