Not a Museum
Chinese temples are active religious sites. People pray there, make offerings there, and believe that deities are present there. Visiting a temple as a tourist is fine — temples welcome visitors — but treating it as a museum is disrespectful.
The basic principle: behave as you would in any place that other people consider sacred. Be quiet, be respectful, and follow the local customs even if you do not share the beliefs behind them.
Entering the Temple
Which gate to use. Many temples have three entrance gates. The center gate is reserved for monks and deities. Visitors should use the side gates. If there is only one gate, enter from the side rather than the center.
Which foot first. Step over the threshold (do not step on it — the threshold is considered sacred). Traditionally, enter with your left foot through the left gate and your right foot through the right gate.
Dress code. No strict dress code exists, but modest clothing is appreciated. Avoid shorts, tank tops, and clothing with provocative images. Some temples provide wraps for visitors who are underdressed.
Lighting Incense
Incense (香, xiāng) is the primary offering in Chinese temples. The standard practice:
- Purchase incense at the temple (do not bring your own — temple incense is blessed)
- Light three sticks (三支香, sān zhī xiāng) — representing Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha in Buddhist temples, or heaven, earth, and humanity in Daoist temples
- Hold the incense at forehead level with both hands
- Bow three times
- Place the incense in the incense burner (do not blow it out — wave it or let it extinguish naturally)
Do not light a huge bundle of incense thinking more is better. Three sticks is standard. Excessive incense is considered showing off rather than showing devotion.
Making Offerings
Common offerings include fruit, flowers, and vegetarian food. Meat offerings are inappropriate at Buddhist temples (Buddhism prohibits killing) but acceptable at some Daoist and folk religion temples.
Money offerings are placed in donation boxes, not on altars. The amount does not matter — sincerity matters more than size.
Photography
Ask before photographing. Many temples allow photography in outdoor areas but prohibit it inside halls where deities are enshrined. Flash photography is almost always prohibited. Never photograph people who are praying without their permission.
Fortune Sticks (求签)
Many temples offer fortune sticks (签, qiān) — numbered bamboo sticks that are shaken from a container until one falls out. The number corresponds to a fortune slip that provides guidance.
The process: kneel before the deity, state your question silently, shake the container until one stick falls out, then take the corresponding fortune slip. If you are unsure whether the stick is correct, use moon blocks (筊杯, jiǎobēi) — crescent-shaped wooden blocks that are thrown to get a yes/no answer from the deity.
Common Mistakes
Pointing at deities. Do not point at statues with your finger. If you need to indicate a deity, use an open palm.
Touching statues. Do not touch deity statues unless invited to do so by temple staff.
Turning your back. When leaving a deity's presence, back away rather than turning your back. This applies to the main deity of the temple, not to every statue.
Sitting on thresholds. Never sit on a temple threshold. Thresholds are considered boundaries between the sacred and the mundane.