A niche attraction by the West Lake, the only temple in the country without monks—Huiyin Gaoli Temple

Hangzhou Huiyin Temple is located in the western part of the West Lake, about 300 meters away from the Turtle Pond area, which is the stone monument of the 'Three Platforms of Cloud and Water,' one of the ten scenic spots of the West Lake. The surrounding area includes Yucen Mountain, Shaoji Bay, and Wulao Peak, with numerous cultural relics, but few people know about it. Huiyin Temple was first built during the Wuyue Kingdom. In the eighth year of Yuanfeng in the Northern Song Dynasty (1085), the Korean monk Yitian came to China and visited Huiyin Temple to seek the Dharma. Yitian was the name taken by the Korean prince Wang Xu after he became a monk. After returning to his country, he donated funds to build a pavilion and offered scriptures to Huiyin Temple, hence the temple is also known as Gaoli Temple among the people. Inside the temple, you won't see the burning incense or monks and pilgrims, and outside the temple, you rarely see the hustle and bustle of traffic. It enjoys a unique tranquility with sparse human presence and the freshness after the rain in the empty mountains.