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. Its history reaches back more than a thousand years to the Tang dynasty, though the halls you see today were largely rebuilt and expanded under the Qing. 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.

What to see

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 Guanyin, the bodhisattva of mercy. 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.

Visiting

Admission is free, and the temple hands out free incense at the entrance, so there is no need to buy any from vendors. It opens early — roughly from dawn to around 6 pm. 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.

Getting there

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 15–20 minutes. Many travelers walk over after visiting the campus or before heading on to Hulishan Fortress.