Mount Putuo

Mount Putuo is one of the 1,000 islands in Zhoushan, Zhejiang Province, across the sea from Zhujiajian and Shenjiamen fishing ports. Mount Putuo is the only one of the four famous Buddhist mountains in China that is located in the sea, and is known as the “Divine Buddhist Kingdom on the Sea”.

Sanctuary of Guanyin

The four most famous Buddhist mountains in China are Mount Putuo, Mount Wutai, Mount Emei and Mount Jiuhua, which are the Sanctuary of Guanyin, Manjusri, Samantabhadra and Ksitigarbha. In the Qing Dynasty, there were nearly 100 Buddhist temples on the island. On the south side of the island is an 18-meter-high statue of Guanyin, the symbol of Mount Putuo.

Mount Putuo Nanhai Guanyin Statue

Buddhist Kingdom in the Sea

Located at the southernmost tip of Putuo Mountain, the Nanhai Guanyin statue (South Sea Guanyin) is the symbol of Mountain Putuo, across the sea from the nearby Zhujiajian Island. Being 18 meters tall, this Nanhai Guanyin is the most majestic statue of the Bodhisattva in the world, with 6.5 kilograms of pure gold incorporated into her face.

The Three Great Temples of Mount Putuo

There are many Buddhist temples in Putuo Mountain, Puji Temple, Fa Yu Temple and Huiji Temple among them are known as the “Three Great Zen Temples of Mount Putuo”, because of their history and scale. Puji Temple was built in the Northern Song Dynasty and is also known as Front Temple (Qian Si), which is the main temple dedicated to Guanyin on the island. Fayu Temple, also known as Rear Temple (Hou Si), was founded during the Wanli years of the Ming Dynasty and was named by Kangxi Emperor of the Qing Dynasty. Huiji Temple is located at the top of Bodhisattva Peak at an altitude of over 300 meters.

Three Treasures of Mount Putuo

There are three treasures at Mount Putuo: the Multi-treasure Pagoda, the Nine Dragon Caisson Ceiling and the Carpinus Putoensis (alternatively instead by Yangzhi Guanyin Monument). The Pagoda is one of the oldest surviving relics on the island of Mount Putuo, which was built in 1335 in the Yuan Dynasty.

Natural Scenery of Mount Putuo

The name of Sanctuary of Guanyin for Mount Putuo is so well-known that people only pay attention to the Buddhist elements on the island and ignore the natural beauty. Mount Putuo is famous for rocks, such as the Buddhist Kingdom Rock, the Two Turtles Rock, and the Pantuo Rock. At the foot of the mountain, there are many sandy beaches such as Baibusha Beach and Qianbusha Beach, which are the best places to watch the sunrise at sea.