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 One
of the prime tourist spots in Xiamen, Fujian Province is the Nanputuo
Temple which can be found at the foot of the Wulaofeng Mountain or
Mountain of Five Old Men.
Even non-Buddhist visitors will find the place very refreshing and
relaxing.
Nanputuo 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.
The Devajara Hall also called the Hall of Heavenly Kings (Tian Wang
Dian) is the location of the statues of four ferocious Heavenly Kings.
In the center of the hall stands a fat Buddha, Maitreya or Milefo. With
a broad smile, bare chest and exposed paunch, Maitreya represents the
Buddha of the future, also known as the Laughing Buddha.
 The
Mahavira Hall was built in 1921 and features the statues of the Trinity
of the Three Ages (Sakyamuni, the Buddha of the Present; Kasyapa, the
Buddha of the Past; and Maitreya, the Buddha of the Future),
Avalokitesvara (Guanyin Bodhisattva, the Goddess of Mercy) and
Avalokitesvara's disciples
Dabei Hall: The Dabei Hall is an octagonal tower, which was rebuilt in
1928. Inside, four Statues of Avalokitesvara are enshrined on a
lotus-flower base. The Bodhisattva with his arms crossed in front of his
chest has 48 hands stretching out. Each hand features a miniature scared
eye. Two banyans are planted on each side of the hall.
Sutra-Keeping Pavilion: The Sutra-Keeping Pavilion was built in 1936 and
houses thousands of Buddhist scriptures, Buddha images from Burma, ivory
Sculptures, wood sculptures, bronze bells, incense burner and other
works of art. One particular porcelain Avalokitesvara in the Pavilion is
said to be very precious.
The many rooms flanking the main buildings include dormitories,
libraries and study rooms for monks. Vegetarian food is also served in
the temple. The dishes' unique colors, fresh tastes and poetic names
make them a must try for visitors.
Visit beautiful China today!
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