Xiamen
Nanputuo Temple, Xiamen
Nanputuo Temple is Xiamen's most important Buddhist temple, set against the green slopes of Wulao Peak and right next door to Xiamen University. Monks first built a temple here in the late Tang dynasty, but the version standing today traces to 1684, when the Qing general Shi Lang funded a major rebuild and installed a shrine hall for Guanyin, the bodhisattva of mercy. He named it after Mount Putuo in Zhejiang, Guanyin's other great pilgrimage site, and since Xiamen's temple sits south of it, the name became Nanputuo, "south of Putuo." It remains an active monastery, with monks, incense smoke, and a steady stream of pilgrims, yet it is calm, beautifully kept, and completely free to enter.
Nanputuo Temple's lotus pond, with a pagoda and pavilion at the foot of the mountain
Inside the temple grounds
You enter past a half-moon lotus pond (a release pond for freed fish and turtles), framed by two slender pagodas. Beyond it the temple climbs the hillside in tiers: the Hall of Heavenly Kings, the Great Buddha Hall, and the octagonal Hall of Great Compassion, which enshrines the Guanyin that gave the temple its name. Higher up sits the Sutra Library, holding Buddhist scriptures, calligraphy, and a white-jade Buddha. On the cliffs behind the temple you will spot huge red carvings of the Chinese character 佛 ("Buddha"). Energetic visitors keep climbing Wulao Peak for a view over the temple roofs and the sea.
The ornate entrance gate of Nanputuo Temple
Visiting hours and etiquette
Admission is free, and the temple hands out free incense at the entrance, so there is no need to buy any from vendors. It's open daily from about 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM, with longer hours during major Buddhist festivals like the Lunar New Year. Dress modestly (covered shoulders and knees) as a working place of worship, keep your voice down inside the halls, and follow the signs about where photography is allowed. The temple's vegetarian restaurant is locally famous and a good, inexpensive lunch.
The Heavenly Kings Hall of Nanputuo Temple reflected in the pond
Practical notes
Nanputuo sits next to Xiamen University in the southwest of the island, easy to combine with it in one outing. City buses stop right outside, and a Didi from downtown takes only 15 to 20 minutes. Many travelers walk over after visiting the campus or before heading on to Hulishan Fortress.
Highlights
- Xiamen's main Buddhist temple, rebuilt in 1684 and free to enter
- The temple's name comes from Guanyin's other pilgrimage site, Mount Putuo
- Half-moon lotus release pond framed by two slender pagodas
- Octagonal Hall of Great Compassion enshrining Guanyin
- Giant red 佛 ('Buddha') carvings on the cliffs behind the temple
- A locally famous vegetarian restaurant inside the grounds
Travel Tips
Free incense provided
The temple gives out incense free at the entrance, so there's no need to buy any from vendors outside.
Open 8 AM to 6 PM
Hours run longer during major Buddhist festivals like Lunar New Year; otherwise plan around the standard 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM window.
Dress and behave for worship
Cover shoulders and knees, keep your voice low inside the halls, and check signs for where photos are allowed.
Combine with the campus
It sits right next to Xiamen University, pair the two, then continue to Hulishan Fortress nearby.
