Lake Temple in Haikou

Lake Temple in Haikou

Lake Temple in Haikou is a cultural tourism attraction.

Lake Temple is located on Gangkou Road, Xiuying District, Haikou City, Hainan Province. Approaching Lake Temple, once you pass through the temple gate, you’ll find the only structure there — the “Mahavira Hall.” The couplet on the hall’s door reads: “The spiritual lake and sacred shrine stand majestic and solemn, revered through endless ages; the Buddha’s light and divine grace shine brilliantly, bestowed eternally through the millennia.” It sounds grand, but lacks distinctiveness. Just like those unlucky residents who’ve repeatedly faced forced evictions, the current site of “Lake Temple” is already quite cramped. Inside the hall hang devotional prayer flags offered by worshippers, inscribed with phrases such as “Miraculous Responses” and “Buddha’s Light Shines Everywhere.” The temple also enshrines statues brought from Jiuhua Mountain — one of Buddhism’s sacred mountains — including camphor wood carvings gilded with gold: the “Three Jewels Tathagata,” the “Eighteen Arhats,” the “Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva,” and the “North Emperor.” Though they haven’t been there for long, looking up, you can see the roof has been darkened by incense smoke over the years, giving off a strong sense of history.

Surrounding the temple, aside from lotus leaves covering the pond, there’s nothing but urban scenery. Residential buildings stand shoulder to shoulder nearby, and not far away there’s a local “Dad’s Tea House,” with an outdoor playground for a kindergarten right across the street. One might think Lake Temple has had quite the tough fate — originally situated on Daying Mountain in the city center, it was forcibly relocated during the construction of a park. People don’t understand how a park couldn’t make room for a temple. Later, when this area was still suburban, the temple stubbornly held on until the establishment of the province, only to then have to make way for developers, moving from the roadside to the back. It even had to change its name, from “Jishan Temple” to “Lake Temple.” As the saying goes, “A mountain need not be high — it is famous so long as there’s an immortal; a lake need not be deep — it is spiritual so long as there’s a dragon.” Fortunately, the public has never abandoned it. Whether in the bustling city or on a lake islet, no matter what name it goes by, people continue to support it faithfully, searching it out to come here and pay their respects.

Scenic Area Address: Gangkou Road, Xiuying District, Haikou City, Hainan Province

Transportation: Take bus routes 3, 6, 7, 28, 35, or 41 within Haikou City, get off at Xiuying Port Market Station, and walk to the temple.