【Half-Day Tour of Sheng'an Ancient Temple: Jumping Between Incense and Fireworks】

Heard you want to find a place in Yueyang that offers both peace of mind and great photo ops? Sheng'an Ancient Temple is definitely your perfect choice! This thousand-year-old temple hidden on Guishan Mountain lets you pray sincerely, enjoy panoramic views, and fill your social media feed with amazing shots~ Grab this guide and let's go! 👇

🎫 Ticket Tips
• Scenic area ticket: 20 RMB/person (free on the 1st and 15th of each lunar month in the morning, but very crowded—avoid if you want peace)
• Wanfo Pagoda climb: 10 RMB/person (secret tip: bargaining skills can get you a 5 RMB discount!)
• Payment reminder: Bring cash (no cash? You can exchange cash at the entrance shop, but you’ll be forced to buy incense~)

🚶‍♀️ Tour Route: Buddhist-style Leisure Walk
1️⃣ Mountain Gate → Hall of Heavenly Kings

· The mountain gate is the same style archway as the Buddhist Incense Pavilion in the Summer Palace, with a very cultured couplet: “Water is not deep, but Dongting Lake can hold the four rivers…”
· The Maitreya Buddha in the Hall of Heavenly Kings laughs with his belly exposed, flanked by the mighty Four Heavenly Kings. Don’t step on the threshold or the Kings might glare at you! 👀

2️⃣ Mahavira Hall → Guanyin Hall

· The sound of wooden fish and chanting = automatic worry-clearing background music 🎵
· The Guanyin Hall houses the largest golden Guanyin statue in Hunan, shining brilliantly—truly a “Yueyang local bling spot” 🌟!

3️⃣ Climb Wanfo Pagoda

· Climbing the pagoda is a bit tiring, but the view from the top is amazing! To the right, you can see the “Seven Little Turtles” swimming in Nanhu Lake; to the left, white sails dot Dongting Lake; straight ahead, the entire Yueyang cityscape unfolds.
· The pagoda door couplet is very philosophical: “Sleeping until two or three in the night, fame and fortune are but illusions…” (Translation: Don’t stress, come up and enjoy the breeze!)

🍃 Hidden Gems
• Guanyin Cave for love blessings: A small path leads straight there; draw a top fortune slip, maybe you’ll meet love around the corner 💘
• Vegetarian meal lovers: Served at 11:30, 15 RMB for 5 vegetable dishes, eggplant and green peppers go perfectly with rice! You can get seconds if you’re full, but no wasting allowed~
• Fireworks atmosphere surprise: Monks grow vegetables and dry radishes here, turning the solemn ancient temple into a “happy farm” 🥬

🚌 Transportation & Surroundings
• Bus riders: Routes 11/17/21 go directly there, get off right at the scenic spot.
• Drivers: Free parking at the entrance, just navigate to “Yueyang Sheng'an Ancient Temple” and go!
• Nearby fun: Right outside is Nan Jin Ancient Ferry, a perfect package of lake and mountain scenery 📦.

💡 Buddhist-style Reminders
• Opening hours: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM, best to go early for fewer crowds and better photos.
• Dress code: Don’t dress too revealing, respect the Buddha, and avoid being blown into a social disaster by the wind when climbing the pagoda 🌪️.
• Photo rules: No photos of Buddha statues, but feel free to snap the scenery! The top of Wanfo Pagoda is a panoramic spot—don’t miss it!

Final truth:
Here, a ticket costing just a few dozen yuan lets you make wishes worth millions. The Buddha might think you’re ambitious… but at least the view from the pagoda is a guaranteed win! 😉