Chuang Yen Monastery — Attraction in Town of Kent

A place filled with peace calm and beauty. Very recommendable place to relax enjoy and be present. The entrance of the temple from the road is marked by a White Buddha. The driveway leads you to the parking lot and to the main entrance of the complex which is made by 4 buildings. The entrance is marked by 2 stone lions and on each side of the entrance there are different representations of Buddha with different attributes. You will be walking on a beautiful dirt path where 2 stone elephants will greet you. There is a huge bell on the right side and a huge drum both of them covered by a red structure and only the monks have access to. The main Buddha inside is amazing. You must leave your shoes and go inside the hall either barefooted or wearing the sandals they provide outside the temple for you to use. There is no cost but please be mindful to leave a donation. There are 2 temples the main Buddha and the Kuan Yin . This last one, has no access for visitors. There is a gift shop that gets really busy, a cafeteteria which serves food from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm . The food is made by the monks and I think it is a good way to help them maintain the temple. There are seats outside the cafeteria and the bathrooms are found underneath the main temple and the only access to them is from outside. There are wooden paths connecting the buildings which are really beautiful and helpful for people with walking disabilities in case they cannot go upstairs. Before you leave, don't forget to see the lake where you will find a beautiful image of KuanYin . The whole area is a...

My husband and I stopped by this place during our usual Sunday road trip. I had never been to a Buddhist monastery before, and I was really impressed by how peaceful and beautiful it was, tucked away in the woods. It’s pretty tourist-friendly, which was super convenient.

A couple of things to keep in mind: if you want to go inside the temple, you’ll need to take off your shoes, but they provide slippers, and the floors are really clean. As you get closer to the main temple, the Great Buddha Hall, walking along the Bodhi Path, you can smell the incense in the air.

I originally thought it’d be a quick visit around one building, but I was totally wrong! I ended up spending a couple of hours learning about the history of Buddhism.

The area around the monastery is well-marked with signs showing where you can and can’t go, which is helpful.

If you’re planning a visit, make sure to come before noon because the place closes to the public at 3 PM.

Oh, and we saw a baby bear wandering around in...

I've been going to Chuang Yen Monastery since I was six months old, so it holds a very special place in my heart. It is a beautiful and (mostly) peaceful temple in the quiet mountains, worth a visit for anyone interested! I would've given it five stars if it weren't for the many rude tourists I encountered during my last few visits...there was even someone shooting a dance MV right in front of the Guan Yin statue at the pond! Now everyone is entitled to their own beliefs, but if you want to visit a Buddhist temple at least follow their etiquette and don't do things you wouldn't do in a church such as wearing tank tops and short shorts, talking loudly during prayers or letting kids loose on prayer mats.

As to why it's closed in winter season: there's simply too much snow to drive safely. And all their events are posted in English on the numerous bulletin boards if you look closely. I really should join one of their meditation...