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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.

Known as the “Buddhist Paradise in the Sea”, Mount Putuo is the monastic site of Guanyin Bodhisattva, with Puji Temple 普济寺, Fayu Temple 法雨寺, Huiji Temple 慧济寺 and dozens of large and small temples across the island. However, if you were to identify one iconic Buddhist building that best represents Mount Putuo, it would have to be this Nanhai Guanyin (South Sea Guanyin).

Miraculous and Majestic Nanhai Guanyin

Nanhai Guanyin Statue located at the southernmost edge of Mount Putuo, across the sea from the nearby Zhujiajian Island, this statue of the Goddess of Mercy has a solemn appearance, with eyebrows like a crescent moon and the eyes of compassion. Her left hand is holding Wheel of Dharma while the right hand is casting Abhaya-Mudra 施无畏印, standing on top of the lotus seat, with a Amitabha Buddha on top of her head.

The bronze statue is 18 meters tall and is made of 96 pieces of gold-plated copper, weighing 70 tons, and has 6.5 kilograms of pure gold incorporated into her face.

Mount Putuo Nanhai Guanyin

At the bottom of the bronze statue there are three pedestals, and connected to Guanyin is a 2-meter high lotus seat, also made of bronze. The middle layer is hung with a four-character inscription by Mr. Zhao Puchu 赵朴初 Nanhai Guanyin 南海观音, and the interior is a Guanyin Hall, with four walls enshrining 500 bronze statues of Guanyin in all kinds of wondrous appearances, the central bronze pillar is 5.6 meters in diameter, connected with the upper lotus seat, carved on the thirty-two figures of Guanyin. Stand here and gaze into the distance, you can see the land of the Zhujiajian 朱家尖 and Mount Luojia 珞珈山 of Zhoushan Islands.

The bottom floor is Hall of Merits, with 20 images of Guanyin and a statue of Grand Abbot Miao Shan cast on a bronze pillar in the middle. On either side of the Hall of Virtues are four large wood carvings, each 6 meters long and 1.6 meters high, which depict the well-known stories of Guanyin.

Mount Luojia across the sea

Nanhai Plaza

In front of the Nanhai Guanyin is the Nanhai Plaza with a stone archway standing in front of it, flanked by two nine-dragon stone pillars. Behind the arch there were granite statues of Four Guardian Gods who are 3.9 meters high, majestic and solemn.

Manywhere Trivia:
Mount Putuo is actually located in the East China Sea, but called Nanhai (South Sea) Guanyin because her monastic site is south to the ancient capital city of Chang’an 长安.

Behind the Buddha is a group of Large Relief Frescoes, with numerous figures in relief, in various shapes, right in the middle there is the Guanyin Bodhisattva sitting on the lotus throne. Guanyin is flanked by Puxian Bodhisattva and Manjushri Bodhisattva on each side.