The Nanputuo Temple
The Nanputuo Temple, also called the South Putuo Temple, is located at the southeast of Xiamen Island. The temple stands at the foot of the Five-Old-Man (Wulao) Peaks near sea. The Wulao peaks is a small mountain range that rises on the island, where offers a picturesque overlook of Xiamen city, sea view of Gulangyu Island and more. The general thought it was on the south of the Mount Putuo of Zhejiang Province, hence he gave the temple its present name.
The South Putuo Temple, built at the end of the Tang era, is one of the most reputed Buddhist temples in Fujian, south China. It boasts many beautiful rock formations, old pine trees, pavilions, lotus ponds, pagodas and halls. It covers 258 square kilometers in a total area and 21,270 square meters in construction. The construction consists of the Heaven King's Palace, the Grand Main Palace, the Merry Journey Palace, the Great Mercy Palace and the Buddhist Scriptures House in the central axial line from south to north. Each palace has its distinctive features in structure and settings. Of the palaces, the carved beams and painted columns are beautiful and dignified, and the statures have vivid but solemn looks.
The Heaven King's Palace, near the gateway of the temple, has the Maitreya statue at the center and the statues of Four Heavenly Kings on the two sides. The Grand Main Palace is right centre of the temple where stands three large statues of heavely Gods. the Buddhist Scriptures House collects a lot of cultural relics of Buddhism.
Two sides along the line, the corridors, the pools bell and drum towers, Merits & Virtues Building, Haihui Building, Puzhao Building, Taixu Library, Lecture Halls of Buddhist Academy, Buddhist Recuperation House and Wanshou Pagoda scatter among the palaces.
Since its foundation, the temple has gone through several ups and downs. It was rebuilt to be prosperous throughout the dynasties such as the Song, Ming and ruined in Yuan and Qing Dynasty. Now the Nanputuo Temple has attracted many tourist locally and abroad with its splendid architecture and practicing Buddhists for pilgrimage.
