Nanputo Temple

Nanputo Temple

Situated at the foot of Wulaofeng (Mountain of Five Old Men) and facing the sea, Nanputuo Temple is deemed to be one of the must-go tourist places in Xiamen, Fujian Province. Even if you are not interested in Buddhism, you will find the place a scenic area providing you with a refreshing experience.

This Buddhist temple was once called Puzhao Temple (Universal Grace Temple). It was first built during the Tang Dynasty (618-907) and was later destroyed in the warfare during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). During the reign of Qing Emperor Kangxi (1662-1722), a naval general ordered it to be rebuilt into a Buddhist Temple and named it Nanputuo Temple.

The temple covers 30,000 square meters with four main buildings on the north-south axis. The buildings include Devajara Hall (the Hall of Heavenly Kings), Mahavira Hall (Daxiongbaodian), Dabei Hall (the Hall of Great Compassion) and a Pavilion built in 1936 in which Buddhist scriptures, Buddha images from Burma, ivory sculptures and other works of art are stored. The many rooms flanking the main buildings include dormitories, libraries and study rooms for monks.