Live Your Best Lives

Travel through the quiet Yunshi Ancient Road and visit the thousand-year-old Yunmen Temple!

D1

Day 1 Shanghai → Yunshi → Yunmen Temple → Daicun → Shanghai

All day

From 7:00 AM to 7:30 AM, we met at the designated China-TravelNote location for check-in. We set off promptly at 7:30 AM, enjoying the fun and laughter along the way. Before we knew it
, we arrived at our destination. From 10:30 AM to 1:30 PM, we disembarked to warm up and set off. After about 90 minutes, we arrived at Yunshi Mountain in Xiaoshan. Crossing a small bridge, we found ourselves on an ancient path nestled in a bamboo forest, a tranquil setting filled only by the chirping of birds.
As we reached a higher point, the path gradually declined, becoming more and more off-road, where we had lunch (with dry food). After a short break from lunch, we continued our journey, about an hour and a half later, arriving at the stairway. Another half-hour hike brought us to a vast expanse of alpine tea fields, with panoramic views of the Yunshi Mountains and Xianghu Lake. Yunmen Temple is located atop Yunmen Mountain. Several century-old trees stand at the temple's entrance. Inside, a well perpetually flows, its waters are sweet and even slightly savory. We ate in the tea fields outside the temple and rested before descending the mountain. Passing two rest pavilions, we found ourselves on an ancient path through the bamboo forest, flanked by a clear spring. After just over an hour, we descended to the foot of the mountain and walked into a small village. The village was elegant, with houses nestled deep in the bamboo forest. It took a 15-minute taxi ride to Dai Village, where the bus waited for us from
4:00 PM to 7:30 PM. We then gathered and boarded the bus back to Shanghai, arriving back at our departure point in the city around 7:30 PM. We were still reluctant to leave, so we shared a tearful goodbye! Remember to hand in your homework!

Q: Is this route very intense?

A: It is an entry-level outdoor activity. The roads are generally easy to walk on and most outdoor enthusiasts can participate.

Yunmen Temple: Located at an altitude of 597 meters atop Yunmen Mountain, at the junction of Daicun and Heshang, it is said to have been built during the Tang Dynasty by Hedan Zushi (a Buddhist monk); another theory states that it was built during the Ming Dynasty, when its founder traveled from Yunmen Temple in Shaoxing and established the temple and established Buddhism, hence the name Yunmen Temple. The main hall, Western Hall, Vajra Hall, meditation rooms, and kitchens, all date from the late Qing Dynasty. Within the temple, statues of Shakyamuni, Guanyin Bodhisattva, Maitreya Buddha, Arhats, Vajra, and Skanda are enshrined. The temple faces west and east, covering an area of ​​over ten mu (approximately 10 mu). To the south are tea plantations, to the west are Gengqingling, and to the north and south are Lion Mountain. The three characters "Yunmen Temple" inscribed on the mountain gate were written by Abbot Fuyun in 1931. Yunmen Temple boasts lush bamboo forests and flourishing tea plantations, and boasts a rich cultural heritage. Two ancient ginkgo trees in front of the temple and three ancient sand pine trees beside it exude a vibrant, aged atmosphere. Three tombstones of successive abbots stand beside the vegetable patch, indicating that Yunmen Temple belongs to the Caodong authentic branch of Zen Buddhism. One stele from the reconstruction of Yunmen Temple during the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty (1875-1908) remains, and eight more temple stele are currently being used as latrine walls. Beneath the eaves of the western hall stands an ancient well, its rim polished and shiny, its walls covered in moss, and its water crystal clear. Two clear springs, known as "Dragon Ponds," nestle amidst the bamboo groves in front of the temple gate. Anciently, these springs were used by the monks. A mile west of the temple lies the "Shenxian Taigong Cave," said to be where the renowned Ming Dynasty physician Lou Yingjing practiced and wrote.

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