Putuo Rock

Putuo Rock

Located in the secluded valley to the northwest of Shangwan Village, Suocheng Town, Raoping County, Putuo Rock — commonly known as "Shangwan Rock" — is situated on the shores of the South China Sea at the border between Fujian and Guangdong provinces. Backed by the foothills of Longwan Mountain, the area is covered in lush forests, scattered with oddly-shaped rocks, enlivened by the sound of murmuring springs and birdsong, with fragrant flowers all around, offering a serene and tranquil environment. A winding stone path of about two hundred steps climbs up from the foot of the mountain, winds around pavilions in the woods, and leads directly to the mountain gate of the temple. It was first built during the Chunxi era (1174–1189) of the Southern Song Dynasty, underwent renovation and expansion starting in 1980, and was fully completed after more than ten years. On October 21, 1988, it was designated as a county-level key cultural relic protection unit, and in the same year, it was approved for public access.

Built against the mountain and crafted entirely from stone, Putuo Rock was first established in the Southern Song Dynasty and was completely renovated between 1980 and 1990. The site covers a total area of 100 acres. Several ancient banyan trees stand tall and vigorous. Surrounded by green bamboo, the gentle breeze creates a refreshing and uplifting atmosphere. The temple is divided into three levels along the mountainside. The main hall on the first level is the Mahavira Hall; the second level is a naturally formed higher-altitude stone cave, with giant rocks on the roof inscribed with the four large characters “Putuo Qia Shan” (Putuo Cliff Mountain), and inside the cave are three stone Buddhist statues. Legend has it that during the Chunxi era of the Song Dynasty (1174–1189), Lian Gongduanxiang from Shangwan Township in Dongli, while searching for a burial site, accidentally unearthed three stone Buddha statues during excavation. Moved by compassion, he gave up the land intended for a tomb to build a temple. He constructed the “Putuo Qia Rock” within a natural rock cave to enshrine these three stone Buddhas, and allocated over 40 plots of land in the large and small gardens behind the mountain to the temple as an offering for incense offerings.

For over 800 years, the site has undergone multiple renovations. During the Qing Dynasty's Kangxi era (1662–1722), devotees from Xiawan raised funds to build two structures, along with smaller auxiliary rooms. In the autumn of 1722, during the 37th year of Qianlong’s reign, Wu Songlin, an ancestor from Longwan Village, together with other benefactors, rebuilt the two structures, including a front pavilion and two corridors of halls. The stone cave and Shuiyue Pavilion were restored through fundraising led by the nun Shi Jixin, along with her disciples Zhao Shi and Zhao Lin. Around 1952, only the Mahavira Hall remained, but it was completely destroyed during the Cultural Revolution. Fortunately, the three stone Buddha statues were hidden by the presiding monk and thus survived. Starting in 1980, Shi Siwen, the current abbot of Putuo Rock, with strong support from the city and county Buddhist associations, raised funds from overseas Chinese and devotees far and wide. After ten years of effort, by October 1990, the dilapidated ancient temple was fully restored. In 1998, the temple held a consecration ceremony.

Putuo Rock is an ancient site of serene beauty and unique historical value, rich in cultural relics, and has been widely renowned since the Song Dynasty.

Source: Chaozhou Government Website

Suocheng Town: Located at the border between Fujian and Guangdong, Suocheng Town is one of the coastal frontier towns in eastern Guangdong. Situated at 117°2′ east longitude and 23°12′ north latitude, it borders Dacheng Town to the east, Huanggang Town (the county seat) to the west, Zhanlin Town to the south, and faces the vast South China Sea, across which lies the distant Nan'ao Island. To the north, it neighbors Zhao’an County in Fujian Province. With a coastline stretching 11 kilometers, the town enjoys a superior natural setting of mountains and sea. It covers a total area of 50.9 square kilometers, with a population of 41,649, and governs 11 villages and 1 neighborhood committee. Suocheng boasts abundant mountain and marine resources, diverse produce, convenient transportation, and communication infrastructure... More details about Suocheng Town++