Plan at a glance
A temple on Foding Mountain
Huiji Zen Temple is on Foding Mountain in Putuo Mountain. The usual visit starts at the Foding Mountain Cableway Station below. After reaching Putuo Mountain, take an island shuttle bus to the cableway station, then choose between a return route and a downhill route to Fayu Zen Temple according to the day's cableway operations and your energy.
A cableway return visit takes about 1–1.5 hours. Taking the cableway up, visiting the temple, and descending 1,088 steps on Xiangyun Ancient Road to Fayu Zen Temple takes about 2–2.5 hours. The second option is a one-way combination route, so its endpoint and onward transport differ from a cableway return.
Tickets and opening arrangements
The Putuo Mountain admission ticket and return ferry need to be booked in advance. The cableway has separate one-way and return products, with a usual operating reference of about 07:30–16:30. Confirm whether it is running, how long the queue is, and when the final service leaves.
The incense-and-flower ticket at Huiji Zen Temple accepts cash only. The temple usually stops admitting visitors at about 17:00. It may stay open longer during the 19th day of the second, sixth, and ninth lunar months, but follow the arrangement announced for the day.
Tickets and visit details
View visit options for this attraction and confirm the visit date and current arrangements before you go.
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The mountaintop temple and the downhill trail
Huiji Zen Temple fits naturally into a northern Putuo Mountain or Foding Mountain route. You can ride the cableway up, visit the temple, and return by cableway in a shorter visit. Alternatively, use Huiji as the start of Xiangyun Ancient Road and descend to Fayu Zen Temple for a combined mountain and temple route.
The experience comes from the mountaintop setting, the temple buildings, and the long stair route. Supplies at the top are limited, and wind and sun can affect how long you want to stay. Bring water before deciding to extend the walk.
Who this suits
Huiji Zen Temple suits visitors interested in temple buildings, mountain scenery, and walking routes, as well as those comfortable with queues and slopes. The cableway return is easier to manage when time or energy is limited. Anyone choosing the 1,088 steps needs more time and must confirm the onward plan on the Fayu Temple side.
Older visitors and children can take the cableway up and down and keep the mountaintop walk short. If someone in the group cannot safely descend a long flight of stone steps, do not enter Xiangyun Ancient Road simply to complete a one-way route.
Build your day
A cableway return in about 1–1.5 hours
From the Putuo Mountain wharf or another island attraction, take a scenic shuttle bus to the Foding Mountain Cableway Station. If the cableway is operating, ride up, visit Huiji Zen Temple, and return by cableway according to the operating arrangements on site.
This works well when Huiji Zen Temple is one stop in a multi-attraction Putuo Mountain day. Cableway queues and the final departure time affect the total duration, so after leaving the temple allow time to return to the station, take the island shuttle, and reach the wharf.
A downhill route in about 2–2.5 hours
Ride the cableway up, visit Huiji Zen Temple, and then descend 1,088 steps on Xiangyun Ancient Road to Fayu Zen Temple. Take breaks according to the slope and the steps. Once you reach Fayu Temple, decide whether to walk on or take a scenic shuttle to the next stop.
This route suits visitors who want less backtracking and both temples in one sequence. It is a poor choice if your return ferry is tightly timed. If the cableway stops, the Fayu entrance changes, or the weather worsens, shorten the route promptly.
Get there
Reaching the cableway station
After taking the ferry from Zhujiajian Wugongzhi Wharf to Putuo Mountain, take a scenic bus to the “Foding Mountain Cableway” stop. The shuttle fare is charged by section. There is no metro on the island, and private cars and ride-hailing vehicles cannot take you directly to Foding Mountain.
The cableway station is the usual starting point for Huiji Zen Temple, but the cableway does not cover the entire mountain route. Confirm operating hours, the queue, and the downhill option before going up. If energy is limited, keep the cableway return plan available.
Continuing to Fayu Zen Temple
Xiangyun Ancient Road below Huiji Zen Temple leads to Fayu Zen Temple, but its 1,088 steps require real effort. After reaching Fayu Temple, you still need to plan the temple visit, scenic shuttle, and return ferry separately. The time spent descending from the mountain is not the same as the time needed to reach the wharf.
Know before you go
Cash and supplies at the top
The incense-and-flower ticket at Huiji Zen Temple accepts cash only. Cableway and scenic-shuttle payments also follow the payment method used that day, so prepare a way to pay before starting. Supplies at the top are limited; bring enough water and simple food.
Choose the religious-goods counter and other purchases according to your needs. If you plan to descend to Fayu Temple, check the weather, your shoes, and your water at the top rather than discovering halfway down that you are too tired.
Opening time and crowds
Huiji Zen Temple usually stops admitting visitors at about 17:00. During Guanyin festival periods, opening may be extended and crowds may gather. Tour groups generally increase after 09:00, so an earlier visit is easier to manage, but it must still fit the first ferry and cableway operations.
Cableway and temple operations may change because of weather, maintenance, or on-site coordination. Do not compress the return time on the assumption that the cableway will definitely be available. In strong wind, rain, fog, or slippery conditions, choose the shorter route.
Stair safety
The 1,088 steps on Xiangyun Ancient Road require real physical effort; they are not a flat walking path. Wear shoes with good grip, stop to the side so others can pass, and do not cross guardrails for photos or keep pushing when you are exhausted.