The best time to worship Buddha at Mount Wutai, the rules and taboos of burning incense and worshipping Buddha

Mount Wutai has been a paradise for Chinese Buddhists since ancient times. Influenced by religious culture and history, this land also has unique laws of survival and worldview. In every sense, it is a good place to practice and cultivate.

The best time to visit Mount Wutai

The best time to go to Mount Wutai to worship Buddha is around the 15th day of the sixth lunar month every year, when the Yellow Church of Mount Wutai holds major Buddhist activities.

1. The peak season for burning incense and worshipping Buddha in Mount Wutai is from May to September, and it enters the off-season after November.

2. Every temple has incense for visitors to use free of charge. If you do not have special needs or requirements, you do not need to buy incense separately. Even if you need to buy incense, you do not have to go to a special store to buy it.

3. If you don’t have enough time, you can usually just walk around the core scenic area, including Pusa Ding - Xiantong Temple - Tayuan Temple - Wanfo Pavilion (also called Wuye Temple, the most spiritual place to burn incense and worship Buddha). Generally, it takes about 1.5 hours to 2 hours to complete the tour, depending on personal preference.

The rules and taboos of burning incense and worshipping Buddha

1. Bath and purify yourself in advance Before burning incense and worshiping Buddha, it is best to bathe and purify yourself in advance so that you can enter the temple with a clean body and mind.
2. Before worshiping Buddha, do not eat meat, unhealthy food, as well as garlic, onions, tobacco, alcohol, etc., which will pollute the mouth and are disrespectful to Buddha, so it is best to avoid eating before worshiping Buddha.
3. Dress neatly and behave politely when entering the temple. Clothes, shoes and hats should be kept clean. Do not dress inappropriately, especially ladies. Do not wear overly revealing clothes or heavy makeup when entering the Buddhist temple.
4. When entering a temple, you should circle around it from left to right, not from right to left. This is called right-handed circumambulation of the pagoda or temple.
Entering the main hall: go to the left and lift your left foot to enter. To enter from the right, lift your right foot through the door. You are not allowed to worship Buddha in the middle of the hall, because the prayer mat in the middle of the hall is used by the abbot or the head monk of the temple to preside over the ceremony, and other people are not allowed to do so.
When entering the temple hall: Do not bow in the middle, you must go to the sides. Because only the abbot and the head monk can do that.
5. Do not overstep your authority when worshipping Buddha. The prayer mat in the center of the main hall is for the temple master. Do not worship on it. Instead, use the stools on both sides, which are for men on the left and women on the right. When someone is worshipping, do not walk in front of their head.