Day 1 Suzhou → Xinchang Big Buddha Temple → Suzhou
All day
Meeting point 1: 07:00-07:10, intersection of Jintang Street and Zongguantang Road (near Exit 6 of Pinghe Road Station on Metro Line 2. Self-driving cars can park at Yaosheng Building, capped at 20 yuan/day)
Meeting Point 2: 07:30-07:35, Suzhou City Toll Station (G1522 Changtai Expressway Entrance), 200 meters south, waiting for the bus under the elevated road (if you drive, you can park at Huadong Decoration City, the maximum fee is about 25 yuan/day)
Arriving near Xinchang Big Buddha Temple around 11:00 AM, we first enjoyed a hearty meal on South Street. After all, good food is the ultimate tribute to a hike! Xinchang is a snack kingdom, and the aroma of delicacies like lamb bones, yiluoxia, and tofu shengjian fills the streets. The thin-skinned buns, topped with a delicate egg, are crispy yet not hard. For those who enjoy sour flavors, dip them in Xinchang's specialty, rose rice vinegar. Grilled rice cakes and yiluoxia are also Xinchang specialties. Tourists, eat your fill!
Around 12:30 PM, we entered the Dafo Temple area. Built in the Eastern Jin Dynasty, it boasts the only surviving examples of early-stage cave sculptures in southern China. Along the way, we encountered the Thousand Buddha Temple, the Reclining Buddha Hall, the Prajna Valley, and the Ten Thousand Buddha Pagoda. These Buddhist sculptures, ancient caves, and cascading waterfalls blend into one breathtakingly beautiful and exquisite route, offering a truly captivating experience.
This is also the filming location for more than ten TV dramas and movies such as "Zhou Sheng Ru Gu", "Lotus Tower", "Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils", and "Nine Layers Purple". It has both the gracefulness of Jiangnan mountains and rivers and the heroism of the world of martial arts. The yellow walls of the temple, the red dust and the world, and the dream of Farewell to Xizhou, you can take pictures as you go, and everywhere is a holy place for filming!
Around 16:30, we returned to the departure point and gathered for the return journey.
We arrived in Suzhou around 20:00. Everyone was reluctant to leave and kissed goodbye with tears in their eyes!
Note: The Big Buddha Temple is entered through other entrances. If you encounter ticket inspection, you need to pay an additional ticket of 80 yuan per person.
