Feilai Feng Hangzhou — The Peak That Flew, 300+ Cliff Buddhas & the Laughing Buddha 2026

Q: Is Feilai Feng free to visit?

Since 1 December 2025, the Lingyin–Feilai Feng scenic area is free to enter — there is no longer a scenic-area admission ticket (it was previously around ¥45). However, a daily visitor quota applies and you must reserve a free entry slot online in advance. Lingyin Temple itself, inside the area, still requires a separate temple ticket of around ¥30 (~฿150). As this is a recent policy change, check the current price and reservation process before you go.

Q: Can you visit Feilai Feng and Lingyin Temple together?

Yes — in fact you have to. The entrance to Lingyin Temple is inside the Feilai Feng scenic area, so you walk past the carved cliffs and the stream before you reach the temple gate. The best plan is to explore the Feilai Feng carvings and caves first, then buy a separate ticket (around ¥30) to enter Lingyin Temple. Allow about half a day, 3 to 4 hours, for both.

Q: What are the opening hours, and when should I go?

Open daily 7.30 am to 5.30 pm (last entry 5.00 pm). Go early, between 7.30 and 9.30 am: morning light filtering through the trees onto the cliff is at its best, the air is cool, and the crowds are thin before the tour groups arrive later in the morning. Late March to May and October to November have the most comfortable weather. Avoid the Chinese public holidays — Labour Day (1–5 May) and National Day (1–7 October) — when it is extremely crowded.

What it is

A mountain that "flew here" — what Feilai Feng actually is

First, the name. Feilai Feng (飞来峰) means "the peak that flew here." Legend says an Indian monk named Huili looked at this limestone hill and was startled by how closely it resembled a sacred peak he knew back in India — so he decided it must have flown across the sea to settle in Hangzhou. The temple opposite, founded by that same monk, was named Lingyin, "the soul's retreat." The two have faced each other ever since.

But what sets Feilai Feng apart from any other hill in China is not the legend — it is the 300-plus Buddhist carvings cut into its cliffs and caves along the walking path. These sculptures were created over several centuries, from the Five Dynasties through the Song and Yuan dynasties. In total there are 153 niches and more than 470 carvings, of which around 338 survive in good condition. Crucially, this is the largest and most concentrated collection of Yuan-dynasty Buddhist statuary anywhere in China.

The hill rises about 168 metres, blanketed in camphor trees, oaks and bamboo, with a clear stream running along its base. You walk a stone path beside the water, looking up at figures that emerge from clefts in the rock — some deep in dark caves, others catching the sunlight that filters through the leaves. It shares its grounds with Lingyin Temple, and both are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site "West Lake Cultural Landscape of Hangzhou" (inscribed in 2011).

Feilai Feng, Hangzhou — limestone cliff face carved with several Buddha and bodhisattva figures set into rock niches, Song and Yuan dynasty grotto sculpture — The Feilai Feng cliff — Buddhas and bodhisattvas carved into the rock along the entire walking path

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Entry

Free (since Dec 2025)

Lingyin Temple inside is a separate ~¥30 · online reservation needed

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Hours

7.30 am – 5.30 pm

Last entry 5.00 pm · best in the early morning

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Getting there

Bus Y1 / Y2 / 7 / 807

Alight at Lingyin (灵隐) — same entrance as the temple

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Carvings

More than 300

Five Dynasties–Song–Yuan · ~470 in total

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Hill height

~168 metres

Camphor and bamboo forest · stream at the base

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Time needed

Half a day (3–4 hrs)

Carvings walk plus Lingyin Temple

What to look for

5 things to stop for along the Feilai Feng path

Follow the stream from the entrance — each stop has a story carved into the rock.

1

The Laughing Buddha (Budai Maitreya)

Song dynasty · the largest carving on the hill

The real star of Feilai Feng. The rotund, broad-grinning form of the Maitreya Buddha, carved into the cliff above the stream and flanked by 18 arhats. At roughly 3.6 metres high and almost 10 metres long, it is the largest single carving on the whole hill — and that beaming face has become the most recognisable image in Hangzhou. You will not miss it: there is nearly always a cluster of people photographing it.
2

Qinglin Cave

Limestone cave · some of the earliest carvings

A limestone cave you can walk into, its walls set with carved Buddhas and ancient inscriptions. At certain points, light drops through a gap in the ceiling and lands directly on the figures. The air inside is noticeably cooler than outside — and it makes plain how the ancient carvers used the natural caves of the limestone to create sacred space.
3

Yuru (Jade) Cave

Deep cave · dripping water

One of the deepest caves at Feilai Feng — dark inside, with the sound of dripping water echoing off the walls. Look up and you will see a thin slit of light coming down from above, which locals call "a thread of sky." The atmosphere here is a complete contrast to the open path outside.
4

The streamside cliff carvings

Yuan dynasty reliefs · scattered along the path

Beyond the caves, most of the carvings are out in the open on the cliff faces beside the streamside path. The Yuan dynasty left more work here than anywhere else in China. Many are sets of the "Three Saints of the West" — the Amitabha Buddha with the bodhisattvas Avalokiteshvara and Mahasthamaprapta. Walk slowly and scan both sides of the path, and you will keep finding figures emerging from the rock faster than you can count them.
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The shaded streamside walk

Camphor and bamboo · the path to Lingyin Temple

The walk itself is a highlight. A clear stream runs alongside the stone path, and tall camphor trees and bamboo keep almost the whole route in shade. The water and birdsong drown out the city completely, and the path ends right at the gate of Lingyin Temple. Come in summer and you will feel exactly why it stays several degrees cooler here than in the city.

What to do here

Walk the rock, find the Buddhas, pair it with Lingyin Temple

🚶 Walking the carvings trail

From the entrance, follow the stone path beside the stream. The main route is neither long nor steep — you simply walk slowly, looking at the figures on the cliffs and ducking through the caves. Allow around 1 to 1.5 hours if you stop to photograph and enter every cave. Most of the surface is stone and steps, so wear comfortable shoes; some sections inside the caves are dark and slippery, so take your time.

The trick is to look up often. Many of the figures are carved well above eye level and tucked into clefts that you will walk straight past if you keep your head down. Drop a little behind the tour groups and you will spot small carvings that most people miss entirely.

🛕 Pair it with Lingyin Temple (always visited together)

Something many people do not realise: the entrance to Lingyin Temple is inside the Feilai Feng area. That means you always walk past the carved hill and the stream before you reach the temple gate — there is no shortcut. The best plan is to take your time over Feilai Feng first, then buy a separate ticket (around ¥30) to enter Lingyin Temple itself and see the great hall and the colossal camphor-wood Buddha.

Together the two take about half a day, 3 to 4 hours. Read the full temple guide at our Lingyin Temple guide.

Booking tip: Because there is a daily visitor quota and you need to reserve online in advance, if you would rather not deal with the Chinese-language reservation system, Klook sells ready-to-go Feilai Feng–Lingyin tickets and tours. Check Lingyin tickets on Klook →

The Laughing Buddha at Feilai Feng, Hangzhou — the rotund Maitreya carved into the cliff, framed by green foliage, with visitors looking up at it from below — The Laughing Buddha on the Feilai Feng cliff — the largest Song-dynasty carving on the hill, and the most photographed image in Hangzhou

📸 Timing and photography

The best time is the early morning, 7.30 to 9.30 am, when light filters through the trees onto the cliff and the figures look their best — and the crowds are still thin before the tour buses arrive. For the Laughing Buddha, the best position is from across the stream, shooting slightly upward so you catch both the Buddha and the arhats around it.

Inside the caves the light is very low, so brace your camera or phone against the rock wall to avoid blur — and do not fire a flash straight at the old carvings. It flattens the image and disturbs other people who may be praying.

Getting there

How to reach Feilai Feng

It shares its entrance with Lingyin Temple; the bus stop is called Lingyin (灵隐). Hangzhou's metro does not yet run all the way to the gate, so the last leg is by bus or taxi.

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Direct bus (easiest)

Y1 / Y2 / 7 / 807

Take tourist bus Y1/Y2 or bus 7/807 from the West Lake area straight to the Lingyin terminus

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Metro + bus transfer

Line 1 Longxiangqiao → bus 7/Y1/Y2

Or Line 2 to Fengqi Road, then bus 7/807 to the Lingyin stop

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Taxi / DiDi

~15–20 min from West Lake

Handy in a group or very early; book through the DiDi app

Planning your day: Feilai Feng and Lingyin Temple are west of West Lake and are best visited in the morning, when it is cool and quiet — then circle back to walk West Lake in the late afternoon and at sunset. The two pair up into one well-balanced Hangzhou day. See the full picture in our 10 Hangzhou attractions guide.

Where to stay

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Most visitors base themselves around West Lake, with easy access to Feilai Feng and the other sights.

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Frequently asked

FAQ · Feilai Feng practical

Is Feilai Feng free to visit?

Since 1 December 2025, the Lingyin–Feilai Feng scenic area is free to enter — there is no longer a scenic-area admission ticket (it was previously around ¥45). However, a daily visitor quota applies and you must reserve a free entry slot online in advance. Lingyin Temple itself, inside the area, still requires a separate temple ticket of around ¥30 (~฿150). As this is a recent policy change, check the current price and reservation process before you go.

Can you visit Feilai Feng and Lingyin Temple together?

Yes — in fact you have to. The entrance to Lingyin Temple is inside the Feilai Feng scenic area, so you walk past the carved cliffs and the stream before you reach the temple gate. The best plan is to explore the Feilai Feng carvings and caves first, then buy a separate ticket (around ¥30) to enter Lingyin Temple. Allow about half a day, 3 to 4 hours, for both — see our Lingyin Temple guide.

Where is the Laughing Buddha at Feilai Feng?

The Laughing Buddha — Budai Maitreya, the rotund form of the Maitreya Buddha — is carved into the cliff above the stream, on your left as you walk in. It is the largest carving on the whole hill: about 3.6 metres high and 9.9 metres long, surrounded by 18 arhats, dating to the Song dynasty. Its broad grin has made it the single most photographed image in Hangzhou, so it is easy to find — there is almost always a small crowd taking pictures.

What are the opening hours, and when should I go?

Open daily 7.30 am to 5.30 pm (last entry 5.00 pm). Go early, between 7.30 and 9.30 am: morning light through the trees onto the cliff is at its best, the air is cool, and crowds are thin before the tour groups arrive. Late March to May and October to November have the most comfortable weather. Avoid the Chinese public holidays — Labour Day (1–5 May) and National Day (1–7 October) — when it is extremely crowded.

How do I get to Feilai Feng from West Lake?

It shares the same entrance as Lingyin Temple; the bus stop is called Lingyin (灵隐). The simplest way is the tourist bus Y1 or Y2, or bus 7 or 807, from the West Lake area straight to the Lingyin terminus. By metro, take Line 1 to Longxiangqiao (龙翔桥) and transfer to bus 7/Y1/Y2, or Line 2 to Fengqi Road and transfer to bus 7/807. A taxi or DiDi from the West Lake area takes about 15–20 minutes.

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