Mount Putuo Puji Temple

Mount Putuo Puji Temple

Mount Putuo Puji Temple is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Puji Temple, also known as "Front Temple," is a nationally key Buddhist temple in Han Chinese regions designated by the State Council. Its predecessor was the famous "Unwilling-to-Go Guanyin Temple." During the Dazhong era of the Tang Dynasty (847–859), the Japanese monk Hui’e brought back a statue of Guanyin from Mount Wutai to his home country but encountered fierce storms and iron lotuses encircling the ship, preventing navigation. He had no choice but to go ashore and, together with a local mountain resident surnamed Zhang, built this temple at Chaoyin Cave to enshrine the Guanyin statue. During the Zhending period of the Liang Dynasty (915–920), the "Unwilling-to-Go Guanyin Temple" was expanded into a full-fledged temple. In the Song Dynasty, it was successively renamed "Wutai Yuanguang Temple" and "Baotuo Guanyin Temple," and its incense offerings began to flourish. In the seventh year of the Jiading era of the Song Dynasty (1214), the emperor inscribed the plaque "Yuantong Baodian," designating it as a temple exclusively for Guanyin worship. In the 19th year of the Hongwu era of the Ming Dynasty (1421), a maritime ban was implemented, and Zhu Yuanzhang ordered Tang He to burn down the halls and destroy the statues in the mountains; it wasn’t until the first year of the Hongzhi era of Emperor Xiaozong of Ming (1488) that the statues were brought back to the mountain and the temple was rebuilt. During the Jiaqing era of Emperor Xiaozong of Ming (1522–1566), the temples on Mount Putuo were once again destroyed, and Baotuo Guanyin Temple was not spared. In the 33rd year of the Wanli era of Emperor Shenzong of Ming (1605), the imperial court sent the eunuch Zhang Qian to expand Baotuo Guanyin Temple at Lingjiu Peak, and bestowed upon it the plaque "Huguo Yongsou Putuo Chan Temple." The temple became grand in scale and was unrivaled in the southeast for a time. In the eighth year of the Kangxi era of the Qing Dynasty (1669), Dutch colonists invaded Mount Putuo, and aside from the main hall, the rest of the temple was completely destroyed. In the 38th year of the Kangxi era (1699), the Huguo Yongsou Putuo Chan Temple was reconstructed and bestowed the plaque "Puji Qunling," henceforth being called "Puji Chan Temple." In the ninth year of the Yongzheng era (1731), the halls and auxiliary rooms were expanded, making the temple’s scale unprecedentedly grand.

The mountain gate of Puji Temple is a stone memorial archway with four pillars and three doors, about 20 meters high. The horizontal beams on the pillars are intricately carved with cloud patterns and stone gourds. Inside the archway on the north side stands a stone tablet inscribed with the words: "All civil and military officials, soldiers, and civilians must dismount here." It is said to be an imperial decree; in the past, officials would alight from their sedan chairs or horses as a sign of reverence for the Goddess Guanyin.

In front of Puji Temple lies a lotus pond covering approximately 15 acres, named "Haixin Pool," also called the "Release Life Pond," built during the Ming Dynasty. Three bridges span the pond: the central one has a flat, broad bridge deck, connecting the main gate of Puji Temple to the north and the Imperial Stele Pavilion to the south. The pavilion was built in the 9th year of the Yongzheng era of the Qing Dynasty (1731), housing a 3-meter-high, 1.5-meter-wide imperial stele inscribed by Emperor Yongzheng. The stele documents the history of Mount Putuo, and the dragons carved on the stele’s top are vivid, with vigorous and powerful calligraphy — truly a masterpiece. The eastern bridge is called the "Yongsou Bridge," 40 meters long, 7.5 meters wide, and 6 meters high, built in the 14th year of the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty (1536). The stone railings on the bridge are topped with 40 lions, each uniquely shaped and lifelike. In front of the bridge is a screen wall inscribed with five large characters: "Guanyin of Compassion," each character five feet tall and forceful. Beside the wall is engraved the "Heart Sutra": "On the sea there is a mountain of sages, composed of precious treasures, supremely serene; the valiant Guanyin dwells here to save all beings." The western bridge is a long-arched bridge with dragon heads carved at its four corners, from which water spurts out like wisps of smoke when it rains.

Puji Temple covers an area of over 37,000 square meters, comprising ten halls, twelve towers, seven chambers, and seven pavilions, totaling 231 rooms, with a construction area of 11,400 square meters. Within the mountain gate are three imperial steles from the Ming Wanli and Qing Kangxi eras; the central one records the historical evolution of Puji Chan Temple, standing on a 3.5-ton pedestal. To the east of the gate is the Bell Tower, featuring a double-eaved hip-and-gable roof, housing a large bronze bell weighing 3,500 kilograms, cast in the 12th year of the Jiaqing era of the Qing Dynasty (1807). To the west is the Drum Tower. Every morning the bell is struck, and every evening the drum is beaten — the so-called "morning bells and evening drums." The Heavenly King Hall, also called the "Vajra Hall," is five bays wide and four bays deep, with a double-eaved hip-and-gable roof. Upon entering, one faces the statue of Maitreya Bodhisattva, bald-headed, smiling, bare-chested, and kneeling on one knee, holding a cloth sack said to contain all worldly sufferings. Behind the hall are eight camphor trees with diameters between 0.8 and 2 meters, their branches lush and shading the courtyard.

The Grand Yuantong Hall is the main hall of Puji Temple. "Yuantong" is an alias of Guanyin Bodhisattva, and this hall is dedicated to her. The hall is grand and imposing, seven bays wide and six bays deep, with a double-eaved hip-and-gable roof, yellow glazed tiles, nine-tiered bracket sets, and a door panel carved with two dragons playing with a pearl. The hall can accommodate thousands of worshippers and is known as the "Living Grand Hall." The platform in front of the hall is surrounded by carved stone railings, with a bronze cauldron furnace in the center, about four meters high, inscribed with "Puji Chan Temple," "Thousand Autumns True Cauldron," and "Winter Month of Xinchou Year, Guangxu Era (1901)" among other characters. At the center of the hall sits a Guanyin Bodhisattva statue 8.8 meters tall, entirely golden, with delicate features, a kind smile, and flanked by Sudhana and Dragon Girl, both exuding childlike innocence. On the eastern and western walls are 16 bodhisattva statues each, dressed differently and in various poses, known as the "Thirty-Two Manifestations of Guanyin" — representing the different forms Guanyin takes to teach sentient beings, plus the central Guanyin statue. This arrangement is unique to Guanyin sacred sites. Flanking the main hall are auxiliary halls. The corridors on both sides house the Arhat Hall, with eighteen arhat statues.

Behind Puji Temple lies the ruins of Zhenxie Hermitage, where the founding monk Zhenxie practiced meditation. To its east stands Fearless Rock, 5 zhang high and 100 zhang in circumference, inscribed with "Sea and Sky Dawn," "Void Mirror," and a couplet: "Treasure region reflects auspicious forms, the dharma realm brims with tidal causes." Atop the rock was once the stupa of Monk Xie. To the west is another rock resembling a leaping lion, called "Monkey Rock." Southeast of Puji Temple, beside Haixin Pool, stands the "Duobao Pagoda." During the Yuantong era of the Yuan Dynasty (1333–1334), the monk Fuzhong of Mount Putuo, having begged in Jiangnan, saw the fine stones produced in Gusu and resolved to build a pagoda. Fuzhong, whose secular name was Qingxin and who was from Fenghua, Zhejiang, moved to Mount Putuo in the second year of the Tianshun era (1329). Emperor Shundi of Yuan conferred upon him the title "Guanghui Miaowu Zhikong Hongjiao Chan Shi." He presided over Baotuo Guanyin Temple for fourteen years, known for his frugality, and undertook many fundraising journeys to build the sacred mountain site. The Prince Xuanrang and others funded the construction of Duobao Pagoda, hence it is also called "Prince Pagoda." The pagoda is entirely built from Taihu rocks, square-shaped, six stories high, 32 meters tall, and named after the "Duobao Buddha Pagoda" mentioned in the Lotus Sutra. The dragon pillars on the second floor are robust and gracefully carved. The upper three floors each feature a seated Buddha statue on every side, vividly depicted. The entire structure is uniquely designed, exquisitely carved, and distinctly Yuan Dynasty in style. Such Yuan-era pagodas are rare nationwide and are now listed as a provincial-level cultural relic protection unit.

Behind Puji Temple lies a rock resembling three door panels standing upright, shaped like a sacred bird, called "Lingjiu Rock," also known as "Ciyun Rock," inscribed with the phrase "Jiuling Ciyun" by Tao Wangling of Huiji from the Ming Dynasty. Spring water seeps through the crevices of the rock into the temple, cool and fragrant. A poem by Ming Dynasty’s Ding Jisi reads: "Returning to this sacred land, I tread upon the Ciyun. Spring water flows through the shrine, and the fragrance of incense fills the courtyard... How fortunate to be in these remote woods, where serenity shields one from worldly dust" — describing the former splendor of Ciyun Rock.

Time Needed

1–2 hours

Transportation

Tourist buses operate two dedicated lines connecting major scenic spots on Mount Putuo

Line 1: Puji Temple East (Baibu Sha) – Baibu Pavilion – Zhuzhulin (South Sea Guanyin Outdoor Statue) – Enter Sanmodi (Nanmen Gate) – Ferry Terminal – Haifang Xincun (Xishan Xincun Zone 1) – Seafood Park (Xishan Xincun Zone 2) – Baotuo Restaurant – Puji Temple West (Xishan Scenic Area Entrance)

Line 2: Ferry Terminal – Enter Sanmodi (Nanmen Gate) – Zhuzhulin (South Sea Guanyin Outdoor Statue) – Baibu Pavilion – Puji Temple East (Baibu Sha) – Immortal Well (Chaoyang Cave) – Dacheng An – Fayu Temple (Qianbusha) – Feisha’ao – Xianghui An – Fan Yin Cave – Baoyue An – Ancient Buddha Cave – Cable Car Station

In addition to the two dedicated tourist bus lines, point-to-point tourist buses are available between major scenic areas on Mount Putuo, with staff dispatching vehicles via radio based on passenger flow.

How to Get to Puji Temple

Take Tourist Bus Line 1 on Mount Putuo to Baibu Sha (Puji Temple East); or Line 2 to Baibu Sha (Puji Temple) and get off right at the entrance

Ticket Price

5 RMB

Opening Hours

Puji Temple morning service opening and ticket checking time: 3:40–4:30 AM; regular opening hours: 6:00 AM–9:00 PM. The east gate and inner main hall close at 6:00 PM, while the west gate remains open until 9:00 PM. Visitors can view the temple from the outer corridors.

Location

Mount Putuo, Putuo District, Zhoushan City, Zhejiang Province

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units