A one-kilometre walk north of the old town, Lingyan Mountain, the ¡®Cliff of the Spirits¡¯, was once the site of a palace where Emperor Qianlong stayed during his inspection tours of the Yangzi River valley. The mountain is also home to an active Buddhist monastery, Lingyan Shan Temple (ÁéÑÒɽËÂ, L¨ªngy¨¢n Sh¨¡n S¨¬). The exhausting climb to the peak offers panoramic views of Suzhou. Tourist bus Y4 goes to Lingyan Mountain from Suzhou¡¯s train station.
On the way up the mountain, the left ramp is busier but will take you past some shrines; the steps on the right take a slightly faster route to the top. Try to avoid visiting at the weekends and public holidays, as it can become very busy.
