Puning Temple Shangketang Hotel

The grounds are lovely to explore. The area reminded me of the Sumeru temple section of the Summer Palace in Beijing. This was one of three temples we visited in Chengde, and the main hall has what is said to be the world's largest wooden thousand hands / thousand eyes Guan Yin statue. Photos aren't allowed.

The main temple is the reason I’d pick this place if I could visit only one. Inside is an astonishingly huge Guanyin (Avalokitesvara), shown with a thousand arms and a thousand eyes. You can’t take pictures, but standing there and staring at it is plenty. There’s also a smaller version where you can get a closer look at the upper-body details.

The standout at Puning Si is the temple grounds, especially those little hobbit-like doors, and the main hall’s wooden Buddha, said to be the tallest in the world at over 20 meters. We also saw the Mountain Resort and Putuo Zongcheng (Potala Palace) Temple in Chengde. I liked the temples a little more than the Summer Resort, though it was a close call.

The bus access is pretty decent, but check the timing before you go. This is my favourite place, so vast and spacious, yet calm and peaceful. A must visit.