Temples to Be Closed at Night During Spring Festival

Nine Buddhist temples in Hangzhou, including the 1,700-year-old Lingyin Temple near the West Lake, will close doors to visitors after dark through the Spring Festival holiday to avoid a repeat of the Shanghai stampede that claimed 36 lives.

The nine temples named Jingci, Faxi, Fajing, Fajing, Lingyin, Yongfu, Taoguang, Xiangji and Wanshou will open to the public from 5am to 6pm. No temple events will be held on the eve of the Chinese New Year.

Normally, the Chinese would throne into a local temple on the eve of lunar New Year to pray for good fortunes in the year ahead. The Lingyin Temple sold 6,000 tickets at 200 yuan (US$33) each last year.

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