Wanshou Temple is one of Changchun's most active Buddhist temples, a Qing dynasty foundation that has survived the various upheavals of the twentieth century and continues as a functioning religious community. The temple compound follows the standard northern Chinese Buddhist layout with a sequence of halls on a central axis, and the incense smoke visible from outside is a reliable indicator of genuine religious activity rather than tourist performance.
The temple is particularly busy on religious calendar dates and during national holidays when domestic pilgrims visit from across Jilin Province. The surrounding area has the typical Buddhist temple commercial zone — stalls selling incense, religious items, and vegetarian snacks — that is as much a part of Chinese temple culture as the architecture itself.