Lingyan is considered by many the most visually striking of the Yandang park's areas, with a series of vertical cliff faces rising from the valley in theatrical arrangement. The centrepiece is the Guanyin Cave, a natural hollow in the cliff face that houses a nine-storey temple built inside the rock itself — each floor accessible through the one above, the entire structure growing out of the cliff rather than standing against it.
The surrounding scenery includes the Nantianmen natural arch, a gap worn through the ridge that frames a patch of sky, and a series of prayer platforms on ledges cut into the cliff faces. A cable car operates to the upper viewpoints for those who want the views without the stair-climbing, but the path up on foot passes more of the interesting formations. The area is quieter on weekdays than the more famous Lingfeng section, and the crowds thin further in the afternoon when most day visitors have moved on.