A Guide to Exploring Daxiangguo Temple in Kaifeng

🌈Basic Information & Features:
📍Address: 36 West Ziyou Road, Gulou District, Kaifeng, Henan Province
🎫Tickets:
Adult: CNY 40 | Students/Teachers: Half price

Free admission: Children under 1.4m, seniors over 60, military personnel, disabled persons, etc.
⏰Opening Hours:

Summer (Mar 11-Oct 31): 8:00-18:30 | Winter (Nov 1-Mar 10): 8:00-18:00

✨Highlights: One of China's top 10 Han Buddhist temples❗️A Northern Song Dynasty imperial temple + the original site where Lu Zhishen uprooted the willow tree in "Water Margin"🌳, thousand-year-old ginkgo temple + unique four-sided Thousand-Hand Guanyin!

🚗Transportation Guide:

Self-driving: Navigate to "Daxiangguo Temple parking lot", arrive early on holidays for parking🚗 (parking fee about CNY 10/hour)

By bus: Take bus 1/4/5/9 to "Xiangguo Temple" station🚌 (fare CNY 2)

By high-speed rail: From Kaifeng North Station → CNY 30 taxi or Bus 8 → transfer to Bus 5
✅Tips: Don't buy incense from street vendors! Three free incense sticks provided inside🙏

📅Touring Routes:
🌞Half-day Speed Tour:
1️⃣Morning: Photo the eaves at the mountain gate → touch the Four Heavenly Kings' implements at Tianwang Hall📿 → see "Central Plains' Greatest Hall" at the Main Hall🏯
2️⃣Afternoon: View 1,048-hand Guanyin at Octagonal Glazed Hall → take vintage photos at Sutra Repository → hear "Xiangguo Frost Bell" at Bell Tower🔔

🌙Two-day In-depth Tour:
D1: Daxiangguo Temple → Judge Bao's Yamen → night tour in hanfu at Millennium City Park🏮
D2: Iron Pagoda Park → try soup dumplings and cold bean jelly at Drum Tower Night Market🍜

⛱️Recommended Activities:

Must-do TOP3:
📸Thousand-Hand Guanyin at Octagonal Glazed Hall (Qing Dynasty ginkgo wood carving) | 🔔Hear frost bell at Bell Tower | 📿Collect stamps at cultural shop for "Buddhist Destiny Certificate"

Hidden experiences:
🌸Feed koi at the liberation pond (bring bread crumbs) | 🎶Chance to hear national intangible cultural heritage Buddhist music🎵

For culture enthusiasts:
🖌️View calligraphy exhibition at Sutra Repository | 📜Read temple stele about "Painting Sage" Wu Daozi's legend

🏨Accommodation & Facilities:

Luxury option: Pullman Kaifeng (10-min walk, CNY 500+/person with breakfast)🏨

Value choice: Guesthouses near Drum Tower (CNY 80+/person, night food downstairs)🏡

Trendy experience: Millennium City Park Inn (includes hanfu experience + park tickets)👘

Services: Free luggage storage | Full Wi-Fi coverage | Multi-language audio guides (CNY 30/day)

💗Travel Tips:
✅Best photo spots:
📍Mountain gate upward view | 🌿Liberation pond stone bridge | Panoramic view at Sutra Repository
✅Warnings:
🚫Don't touch Buddha statues! No flash photography in halls📵
🍜Bring water bottle! Free spring water available, bottled water costs CNY 8
✅Fun facts:
🌳Original site of Lu Zhishen's ordination | Thousand-Hand Guanyin took 58 years to carve from one ginkgo tree❗️
✅Etiquette:
🙏Enter halls through left door, exit through right | Clockwise circumambulation for blessings
✅Hidden perks:
🎁Recite Heart Sutra for free audio guide (limited to 5 people daily)