Top 10 Temples in China: The Complete 2026 Guide

The cab driver in Xi’an looked at me in the rearview mirror and said, in the patient tone of someone explaining fire to a caveman, “You want to see all the temples in China?” He laughed. “You will die here. You will become a ghost who looks at temples.”

He wasn’t wrong. There are thousands. But after seven years of living in Beijing and more than forty trips across this country—from the frozen stupas of Tibet to the humid, incense-thick halls of the south—I’ve learned that most temples blur together after a while. A red wall is a red wall. A golden Buddha is a golden Buddha.

But some places stop you cold. They make you forget your phone. They smell like wet stone and old wood and something burning that isn’t quite incense. They are not just buildings. They are the closest thing China has to a time machine.

This guide is for the first-time visitor who doesn’t have forty years. These are the ten temples I would drag a friend to see, in the order I think they matter most. No fluff. No “breathtaking” nonsense. Just the ones that stuck with me.

The Short Version

If you only have two weeks in China, hit the Lama Temple in Beijing (easy, central, jaw-dropping), the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda in Xi’an (history you can touch), and the Temple of Heaven in Beijing (where you’ll actually see locals living their lives). Skip the big tourist traps in Shanghai unless you really love crowds and selfie sticks. The real magic is in the smaller places like Lingyin Temple in Hangzhou and the Hanging Temple near Datong—but those require planning.

How I Picked These

I visited every single one of these in the last three years. Some multiple times. I sat in their courtyards during rainstorms. I ate at the noodle shops outside their gates. I talked to monks who spoke no English, and to ticket sellers who overcharged me by ten yuan and then winked. I missed the last bus from two of them and had to hitchhike. I am not recommending a single temple here that I haven’t stood inside and felt something about.

Comparison Table

Rank	Place	Best For	Approx Cost (USD)	Time Needed	When to Go
1	Lama Temple, Beijing	First-timers, wow factor	$8 (¥58)	2 hours	Weekday morning
2	Temple of Heaven, Beijing	Local culture, park life	$5 (¥35)	2-3 hours	Early morning
3	Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, Xi’an	Tang dynasty history	$7 (¥50)	1.5 hours	Late afternoon
4	Lingyin Temple, Hangzhou	Natural setting, peace	$6 (¥45)	2 hours	Weekday, off-season
5	Hanging Temple, Datong	Unique architecture	$12 (¥85)	1 hour	Spring or fall
6	Shaolin Temple, Henan	Kung fu, fame	$13 (¥100)	3-4 hours	Early, avoid summer
7	Potala Palace, Lhasa	Tibetan Buddhism	$25 (¥180)	3 hours	Summer, book ahead
8	Jade Buddha Temple, Shanghai	Urban calm	$8 (¥58)	1 hour	Any weekday
9	Dazu Rock Carvings, Chongqing	Cave art, no crowds	$12 (¥85)	2-3 hours	Winter morning
10	Zhujiajiao Temples, Shanghai	Water town, easy day trip	$5 (¥35)	3-4 hours	Weekday, avoid holidays

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1. Lama Temple (Yonghe Temple) — The One That Makes Everyone Stop Talking

I walked in on a Tuesday in November. The air was cold and dry. A group of French tourists were loudly complaining about the walk from the subway. Then they turned the corner into the main hall. Silence. That’s the effect this place has.

The Lama Temple is the most important Tibetan Buddhist monastery outside of Tibet, and it’s absurdly impressive. The 26-meter-tall Buddha carved from a single sandalwood log is the kind of thing you have to see to believe. The ceilings are painted in patterns that make your eyes hurt from trying to follow them. But what I love most is the courtyard—locals spin the prayer wheels, old men sit on benches and watch the clouds, and nobody rushes.

📍 Location: Yonghegong Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing 🎫 Entry fee: $8 (¥58). Free on the first Wednesday of every month (but packed). 🕐 Hours: 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM (winter), 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM (summer). Last entry 30 minutes before close. 🚆 How to get there: Take Subway Line 2 or Line 5 to Yonghegong Station. Exit C. Walk 2 minutes north. The entrance is impossible to miss. ⏰ When to visit: Weekday mornings before 10:00 AM. Weekends are a zoo. 💡 Insider tips:

• Buy your ticket at the machine outside the main gate (has English). The line at the counter takes forever.
• Don’t take photos inside the main Buddha hall. Monks will yell at you. I learned this the hard way.
• The small gift shop near the exit sells legit Buddhist prayer beads for less than $5 (¥35). The stuff outside on the street is marked up 3x.
• Bring cash. Some incense sellers inside don’t take WeChat.
• If you see a monk in red robes sitting alone near the east courtyard, he speaks decent English and will answer one question for free. I asked him why the incense smoke made my eyes water. He said, “Because you are not used to truth.” I still don’t know if he was joking.

One thing I remember: An old woman in a blue jacket handed me a piece of candy while I was staring at the Buddha. She said something in Mandarin I didn’t understand, patted my arm, and walked away.

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2. Temple of Heaven — Where Beijing Comes to Breathe

The first time I went, I was annoyed. It was a Saturday. There were thousands of people. But then I realized: hardly any of them were inside the main temple. They were in the park. That’s the secret.

The Temple of Heaven is the most famous religious structure in Beijing, and the building itself—that circular blue-tiled roof—is beautiful. But the real show is the park surrounding it. Every morning, locals come here to practice tai chi, play cards, sing opera, and fly kites. I once watched a man write calligraphy on the stone path with a giant brush dipped in water. He was gone by 9:00 AM, and so was his art.

📍 Location: Tiantan Road, Dongcheng District, Beijing 🎫 Entry fee: $5 (¥35) for the park only. $8 (¥58) for the full complex including the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests. The park-only ticket is worth it if you just want to see local life. 🕐 Hours: Park opens at 6:00 AM year-round. Temple buildings open at 8:00 AM. Last entry at 4:30 PM. 🚆 How to get there: Subway Line 5 to Tiantandongmen Station. Exit A. Walk 3 minutes west to the east gate. This is the best entrance for the park vibe. ⏰ When to visit: 6:30 AM – 8:00 AM for tai chi and opera. 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM for golden light on the buildings. 💡 Insider tips:

• The Echo Wall is cool but always crowded. Skip it if the line is long.
• There’s a small market outside the south gate that sells street food. Try the jianbing (savory crepe) from the lady with the red cart. It’s $1.50 (¥10) and better than any restaurant version.
• You don’t need a guide. The English signs are decent. Just wander.
• If you want a photo without people, go on a weekday in February. You’ll freeze, but you’ll get the shot.
• Buy a park-only ticket and just sit on a bench for 20 minutes. You’ll see more real Beijing life in that time than in any museum.

One thing I remember: A man in his 70s doing tai chi with a sword while his tiny dog sat patiently watching him. The dog yawned. The man didn’t notice.

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3. Giant Wild Goose Pagoda — The Tang Dynasty’s Greatest Hit

I got here at 5:00 PM on a Thursday in April. The sun was low and orange. The pagoda looked like it was on fire. A group of Chinese students were practicing traditional dance in the plaza. Their teacher was screaming at them. It was chaos. It was perfect.

This pagoda was built in 652 AD to store Buddhist scriptures brought back from India by the monk Xuanzang. The structure itself is seven stories of brick and patience. You can climb to the top, but the stairs are narrow and steep, and the view is just okay. The real reason to come is the square in front of it at sunset, when the music fountain show starts and the pagoda lights up.

📍 Location: Yanta South Road, Xi’an 🎫 Entry fee: $7 (¥50) to enter the temple grounds. Another $4 (¥30) to climb the pagoda. Skip the climb unless you really want the exercise. 🕐 Hours: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM (winter), 8:00 AM – 7:00 PM (summer). The fountain show in the square is at 12:00 PM, 4:00 PM, and 8:00 PM. 🚆 How to get there: Subway Line 3 to Dayanta Station. Exit C. Walk 3 minutes south. You’ll see the pagoda immediately. ⏰ When to visit: Late afternoon (4:00 PM – 6:00 PM) for the light. Stay for the 8:00 PM fountain show. 💡 Insider tips:

• The North Square fountain show is the largest in Asia. It’s also incredibly crowded. Stand near the edges for a better view.
• Don’t eat at the restaurants right outside the gate. Overpriced and bad. Walk 10 minutes east to the small alleys for real Xi’an food—try the yangrou paomo (lamb soup with bread).
• The pagoda is actually leaning slightly. You won’t notice unless someone points it out. Now I’ve pointed it out.
• Bring a mask if you visit in winter. Xi’an gets bad smog, and the pagoda grounds are open-air.
• The ticket booth accepts Alipay and WeChat but not foreign credit cards. Have your app ready.

One thing I remember: A monk was sitting near the east wall reading a book. I peeked. It was a Chinese translation of The Old Man and the Sea. He looked up, nodded, and went back to reading.

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4. Lingyin Temple — The One in the Bamboo Forest

It was raining when I visited. Not hard—just a steady mist that turned the stone paths black and made the bamboo leaves droop. I stood under the eaves of a side hall for twenty minutes, watching the water drip off the roof tiles. A cat walked by, sat next to me, and also watched the rain. We didn’t say anything.

Lingyin means “Heart of the Soul’s Retreat,” and the name fits. This is one of the largest and most important Buddhist temples in southern China, and it sits at the base of a hill covered in ancient trees and rock carvings. The main hall is enormous—a 30-foot golden Buddha sits inside, and the ceiling is painted with thousands of tiny Buddhas. But the best part is the grotto behind the temple, where hundreds of small Buddhist statues have been carved into the cliff face over centuries.

📍 Location: Lingyin Road, Xihu District, Hangzhou 🎫 Entry fee: $6 (¥45) for the temple. Another $3 (¥20) for the Feilai Feng grotto area. Worth paying for both. 🕐 Hours: 7:00 AM – 5:30 PM (winter), 6:30 AM – 6:00 PM (summer). 🚆 How to get there: Take bus 7, 807, or Y2 from Hangzhou city center. Get off at Lingyin Station. The bus takes about 30 minutes from West Lake. Alternatively, take a taxi for $5 (¥35). ⏰ When to visit: Weekday mornings in October or November. The autumn leaves are incredible. Avoid Chinese national holidays (first week of October) at all costs. 💡 Insider tips:

• The vegetarian restaurant inside the temple grounds is legit. Try the “Buddha Jumps Over the Wall” soup—it’s made with mushrooms and tofu and costs $4 (¥28).
• Don’t touch the rock carvings. They’re fragile and there are cameras.
• The incense they sell at the entrance is cheap ($1/¥7 for a pack). Buy it inside, not from the touts outside the gate.
• If you see a group of people gathered around a particular statue, it’s probably the “Laughing Buddha” near the entrance. People rub his belly for luck. Join them. It’s silly but fun.
• The English audio guide is terrible. Just wander. The signs are good enough.

One thing I remember: The cat eventually got up and walked into the main hall. Nobody stopped it. I like to think it was a reincarnated monk.

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5. Hanging Temple — The One That Defies Physics

I stood at the bottom and looked up for five minutes before I went in. The temple is literally bolted into a cliff face, suspended about 75 meters above the ground. It’s held up by wooden beams that were driven into the rock 1,500 years ago. I am not a religious person, but standing underneath it made me feel something close to awe.

The Hanging Temple (Xuankong Si) is a marvel of engineering and faith. It’s also a unique blend of Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism—three religions sharing the same precarious real estate. The walkways are narrow. The stairs are steep. If you’re afraid of heights, you might want to sit this one out. But if you go, you’ll see something you won’t forget.

📍 Location: Hunyuan County, about 80 km south of Datong, Shanxi Province 🎫 Entry fee: $12 (¥85). No extra charge for the temple itself. 🕐 Hours: 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM (winter), 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM (summer). 🚆 How to get there: From Datong, take a bus from the New South Bus Station to Hunyuan County ($4/¥30, 1.5 hours). From Hunyuan, take a local minibus or taxi ($3/¥20) to the temple. Or hire a private driver from Datong for the day ($50/¥350). ⏰ When to visit: Spring (April-May) or fall (September-October). Summer is hot and crowded. Winter is freezing and some paths may be closed. 💡 Insider tips:

• Go early. The temple has a strict capacity limit (about 100 people at a time). By 10:00 AM, you’ll be waiting in line.
• Wear good shoes. The stairs are uneven and there are no railings in some sections.
• Don’t bring a large backpack. You’ll have to take it off in the narrow corridors, and it’s awkward.
• The nearby Yungang Grottoes (about an hour away) are worth combining with this trip. Do the grottoes in the morning, the temple in the afternoon.
• Bring snacks. The food options near the temple are limited and overpriced.

One thing I remember: I dropped my phone through a gap in the walkway. A worker climbed down a ladder and retrieved it. He handed it back without a word. I tried to tip him. He shook his head and walked away.

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6. Shaolin Temple — The Kung Fu Factory

I’ll be honest: I almost didn’t include this one. Shaolin Temple is a tourist circus. There are busloads of people. There are kung fu shows every hour. The monks in the training grounds are performing for cameras. It feels less like a monastery and more like a theme park.

But then I walked into the back courtyard, away from the crowds, and saw a group of young monks—maybe ten years old—practicing basic stances in the evening light. No audience. No phones. Just sweat and focus. That was real.

Shaolin is the birthplace of Zen Buddhism and Shaolin kung fu. The temple itself is surprisingly small and simple. The real draw is the kung fu academy next door, where hundreds of children train from dawn to dusk. It’s overwhelming, exhausting, and genuinely fascinating.

📍 Location: Songshan Mountain, Dengfeng, Henan Province 🎫 Entry fee: $13 (¥100) for the temple and academy grounds. 🕐 Hours: 8:00 AM – 5:30 PM (winter), 7:30 AM – 6:00 PM (summer). 🚆 How to get there: Take a high-speed train from Zhengzhou to Luoyang (30 minutes, $10/¥70). From Luoyang, take bus 81 to Dengfeng (1.5 hours, $3/¥20). From Dengfeng, take a local bus to the temple ($1/¥7). ⏰ When to visit: Weekdays in spring or fall. Avoid summer (too hot) and Chinese New Year (too crowded). 💡 Insider tips:

• The kung fu show is at 10:30 AM and 3:30 PM. It’s cheesy but impressive. Arrive 20 minutes early for a seat.
• Don’t take photos of the young monks without asking. Some of them are orphans and the staff is protective.
• The vegetarian noodles at the small restaurant inside the temple grounds are surprisingly good. $2 (¥15).
• If you want to see real training (not a show), go to the back academy around 5:00 PM. That’s when the serious practice happens.
• Skip the cable car to the top of Songshan. The view is mediocre and it’s expensive ($8/¥60).

One thing I remember: A young monk, maybe twelve, was doing handstand pushups on a stone platform. He held the handstand for what felt like a full minute. Then he got up, bowed to his teacher, and walked away without a single expression on his face.

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7. Potala Palace — The One That Changes You

I took a train from Xi’an to Lhasa. It took 36 hours. The altitude hit me at about 4,000 meters, and by the time I arrived, my head was pounding and my legs felt like rubber. Then I looked up and saw the Potala Palace. I forgot about the headache.

The Potala is not a temple in the traditional sense—it was the winter palace of the Dalai Lama—but it is the spiritual heart of Tibetan Buddhism. It rises 13 stories above Lhasa, white and red against the impossibly blue sky. Inside, it’s a labyrinth of chapels, tombs, and thousands of statues. The air smells of yak butter and incense. The silence in the meditation halls is so deep you can hear your own heartbeat.

📍 Location: Red Mountain, Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous Region 🎫 Entry fee: $25 (¥180) in peak season (May-October). $15 (¥100) in off-season. Book tickets online at least a week in advance during peak season—they sell out. 🕐 Hours: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM. Last entry at 3:00 PM. Closed on some Buddhist holidays. 🚆 How to get there: Fly into Lhasa Gonggar Airport, then take a taxi ($10/¥70, 1 hour). Or take the Qinghai-Tibet train from Xining (20 hours, $50/¥350 for a soft sleeper). From Lhasa city center, take a taxi to the palace ($3/¥20). ⏰ When to visit: May-June or September-October. July and August are monsoon season. December-February is freezing but empty. 💡 Insider tips:

• You need a Tibet Travel Permit to enter Lhasa. Your tour operator or hotel can arrange it. Start the process at least two weeks before your trip.
• Acclimate for at least 24 hours before climbing the 300+ steps to the palace. I didn’t. I regretted it.
• No photography inside the chapels. Guards will confiscate your phone.
• Bring a thermos. The tea houses near the base sell hot sweet tea for $0.50 (¥3).
• Hire a local guide at the entrance ($15/¥100). They’ll explain what you’re looking at. The English signs are minimal.
• The Potala is under renovation in sections. Some halls may be closed. Check the official website before you go.

One thing I remember: An old Tibetan woman was prostrating herself—full body, flat on the ground—outside the main entrance. She did it over and over. I watched for ten minutes. She never once looked up.

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8. Jade Buddha Temple — The Quiet One in Shanghai

Shanghai is loud. The Jade Buddha Temple is not. It sits in a residential neighborhood in the northwest part of the city, and the moment you step through the gate, the traffic noise disappears. It feels like someone pressed a mute button.

The temple is famous for two jade Buddha statues brought from Burma in 1882. One is a sitting Buddha about 2 meters tall, carved from a single piece of white jade. The other is a smaller reclining Buddha. Both are beautiful, but the real draw is the atmosphere. This is an active monastery, and the monks chant every morning at 4:30 AM. If you can drag yourself out of bed, it’s worth it.

📍 Location: Anyuan Road, Putuo District, Shanghai 🎫 Entry fee: $8 (¥58). No extra charge for the jade statues. 🕐 Hours: 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM. The chanting is at 4:30 AM (visitors welcome, but be respectful). 🚆 How to get there: Subway Line 13 to Jiangning Road Station. Exit 1. Walk 10 minutes west. Or take a taxi from the Bund ($5/¥35). ⏰ When to visit: Weekday mornings are best. The chanting at dawn is unforgettable. Avoid weekends when tour groups fill the halls. 💡 Insider tips:

• The vegetarian restaurant in the temple’s east wing is excellent. Try the “mock eel” made from mushrooms. $5 (¥35) for a full meal.
• You can buy a small jade amulet from the gift shop for $10 (¥70). They’re blessed by the monks.
• No flash photography inside the Jade Buddha Hall. The guards are strict.
• Don’t burn your own incense inside the halls. Use the designated burners in the courtyard.
• The temple is small. You can see everything in an hour. Combine it with a walk through the nearby M50 art district for a full morning.

One thing I remember: A monk was sweeping the courtyard with a bamboo broom. He swept in slow, deliberate arcs. A tourist asked him for a photo. He smiled, shook his head, and kept sweeping.

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9. Dazu Rock Carvings — The One Nobody Talks About

I almost skipped this. I’m glad I didn’t.

The Dazu Rock Carvings are a UNESCO World Heritage site near Chongqing, and they are, without exaggeration, some of the most impressive art I have ever seen. More than 50,000 statues are carved into the cliffs, dating from the 7th to the 13th centuries. They depict Buddhist, Taoist, and Confucian scenes, and the level of detail is staggering. There are faces that look like they’re about to speak. There are scenes of hell so vivid they made me uncomfortable.

The best part? There are almost no crowds. I walked through the main site on a Tuesday in January and saw maybe twenty other people.

📍 Location: Baoding Mountain, Dazu District, Chongqing 🎫 Entry fee: $12 (¥85) for the main Baoding Mountain site. $8 (¥58) for the smaller Beishan site. Do Baoding only unless you have extra time. 🕐 Hours: 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM (winter), 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM (summer). 🚆 How to get there: Take a high-speed train from Chongqing North Station to Dazu South Station (30 minutes, $8/¥60). From Dazu South, take bus 205 to the carvings ($1/¥7, 40 minutes). Or hire a taxi for $15/¥100. ⏰ When to visit: Winter (December-February) for no crowds. Spring for green hills. Summer is hot and humid. 💡 Insider tips:

• The English audio guide is actually good here. Rent it for $3 (¥20).
• Don’t miss the “Wheel of Rebirth” carving. It’s the largest and most complex.
• The site is spread out over a hill. Wear comfortable shoes. There are stairs.
• Bring water. There’s one shop at the entrance and it’s overpriced.
• The bus from Dazu South Station runs every 30 minutes. Don’t trust the schedule—just wait. It will come.

One thing I remember: A carving of a demon holding a mirror. The mirror was polished smooth by centuries of people touching it. I touched it too. It was cold and slick.

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10. Zhujiajiao Temples — The Water Town Easy Win

This is a cheat, because Zhujiajiao is not one temple—it’s a water town with several small temples scattered along its canals. But for a first-time visitor to Shanghai who wants to see “old China” without a long train ride, it’s perfect.

Zhujiajiao is about an hour from Shanghai. The town is a maze of stone bridges, narrow alleys, and canals lined with willow trees. There are three main temples: the Chengshan Temple (Buddhist), the Yuanjin Temple (Taoist), and the City God Temple. None of them are world-class. But together, they create an atmosphere that’s hard to find anywhere else. I sat in a tea house overlooking the canal for two hours and watched boats drift by. I didn’t do anything else. It was the best afternoon I spent near Shanghai.

📍 Location: Zhujiajiao Town, Qingpu District, Shanghai 🎫 Entry fee: $5 (¥35) for the town entrance. Individual temples are $2 (¥15) each. Skip the temples if you’re on a budget—the town itself is the attraction. 🕐 Hours: Town is open 24/7. Temples open 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM. 🚆 How to get there: Take Subway Line 17 to Zhujiajiao Station. Exit 1. Walk 15 minutes east to the old town. Or take bus 1510 from the station. ⏰ When to visit: Weekdays in spring or fall. Weekends are packed with Shanghai day-trippers. 💡 Insider tips:

• The food on the main tourist streets is terrible. Walk into the side alleys. Look for a place with a long line of locals. That’s where the good stuff is.
• Try the zhajiangmian (noodles with fried sauce) from the small shop near the Fangsheng Bridge. $2 (¥15).
• The boat ride is $8 (¥60) for 20 minutes. Overpriced but worth it once.
• Stay until sunset. The town empties out and the canals look magical.
• Don’t buy the “antique” jade. It’s plastic.

One thing I remember: A woman was washing vegetables in the canal. She dunked them, shook them off, and put them in a basket. A tourist tried to take her photo. She waved him away with a wet hand.

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FAQ

1. Do I need to cover my shoulders and knees at temples? Yes. Most temples enforce a dress code. Cover your shoulders and knees. If you show up in shorts, they’ll sell you a wrap at the entrance for $3 (¥20). It will be ugly. Just bring a scarf or light jacket.

2. Can I use my foreign credit card to buy tickets? Probably not. Most temple ticket booths accept WeChat Pay and Alipay only. Set up Alipay before you go—it now accepts foreign Visa and Mastercard as a payment method. Carry some cash (¥100-200/$15-30) as backup.

3. Do I need a VPN to use my phone in China? Yes. Google, WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook are blocked. Download a VPN before you leave. I use Astrill or ExpressVPN. Test it before you land—some don’t work in China.

4. Is English spoken at these temples? At the big ones (Lama Temple, Temple of Heaven, Shaolin), yes—ticket sellers and guides speak basic English. At smaller ones (Dazu, Hanging Temple), probably not. Download a translation app (Pleco is the best) and learn to say “hello” (nǐ hǎo) and “thank you” (xiè xiè).

5. Can I take photos inside the temples? In the courtyards and gardens, yes. Inside the main halls, usually no. Look for a sign with a camera crossed out. If you’re not sure, watch what the locals do.

6. What’s the deal with incense? Can I burn it? Yes. Incense is sold at every temple. Light it in the designated burners, hold it with both hands, bow three times, and place it in the burner. Don’t blow out the flame—wave it out. Don’t take photos of people while they’re praying.

7. Are there any visa-free policies for 2026? As of 2026, citizens of France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Malaysia, Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium, and Luxembourg can enter China visa-free for up to 15 days for tourism. Citizens of the US, UK, Canada, and Australia still need a visa. Check the Chinese embassy website for your country—the rules change frequently.

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The Honest Wrap-up

This list is for the traveler who wants to feel something, not just check a box. If you want to take a selfie in front of a golden Buddha and move on, the Lama Temple and the Temple of Heaven will do the job. If you want to sit in a courtyard and watch the world slow down, go to Lingyin or Zhujiajiao. If you want to be genuinely moved, go to the Potala or the Dazu carvings.

One last thing: don’t try to see all ten. Pick three or four that fit your route and spend real time at each one. Sit on a bench. Watch the incense smoke. Let a temple be quiet for a while. That’s the whole point.

Now go book the flight.