Nanchan Temple sits in the heart of Wuxi's commercial centre, flanked by a pedestrian shopping street that is one of the busiest in the city. The temple itself — a working Buddhist institution — provides an abrupt contrast to the surrounding commercial noise: a courtyard of incense smoke, prayer, and relative quiet a few metres from the crowds.
The temple complex is small but well-maintained, and the adjacent Miaoxiang Pagoda can be climbed for views over the old town. The surrounding Chongning Temple Street is lined with restaurants, teahouses, and small shops selling local ceramics. The combination of working temple and commercial district makes for an afternoon that moves between the contemplative and the mundane in a distinctly Chinese way.