West Garden Temple
西园寺
A large Buddhist temple west of the Lingering Garden, known for its hall of five hundred arhats and a release-life pond, with vegetarian meals and yellow walls that are popular photo spots.
West Garden Jiechuang Vinaya Temple is on Liuyuan Road in Gusu District, across the road from the Lingering Garden. It was originally the West Garden of the Ming-dynasty official Xu Taishi and was later converted into a Buddhist temple. Most of its current buildings were rebuilt in the late Qing dynasty. The Arhat Hall houses five hundred arhats, and the figures of the Monk Jigong and the Mad Monk are especially lively and well known. The release-life pond has a lakeside pavilion, with large turtles living in its waters. The yellow walls, halls, and ginkgo trees are popular photo spots, and the vegetarian food is worth trying. Admission is about 25 yuan, and it can be combined with the Lingering Garden and Tiger Hill in one day.
Opening hours
07:30–17:00
Nearby sights
- Lingering Garden
- Hanshan Temple
- Garden of Cultivation (Yipu)
- Tiger Hill
- Taohuawu Historic District
- Shantang Street
- Mountain Villa with Embracing Beauty
- Suzhou Silk Museum