There are significant old carvings, pagodas, streams, benches, trees and gardens on the grounds of the Lingyin Si. This is an image of Buddha in a grotto along a walk. This is stunning and what we had hoped to see more of before we became aware of the almost total destruction of such things during the Cultural Revolution. It was so good to see something like this site.

Inside of the main temple here is the world's largest wooden Buddha image, carved from 24 huge blocks of camphor wood, making a statue 25 meters high. This is a beautiful gilt carving with many other figures around it. It is off-limits for pictures, so we can't share a picture of it.

This would be a pleasant place to spend a day, with a picnic lunch and a good book, simply enjoying the serenity of the gardens. It would be best if coordinated with a low-volume tourist day.