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Text by CRI Reporter Shen Ting

Mount Putuo has a humid climate and features various attractions for tourists throughout the four seasons. The lush landscape and location on the sea make it cool and beautiful in the summer. The autumn is the best time to watch the sunrise, enveloped with its clear and crisp climate. During the wintertime, it would be comfortable with its warm sunshine and gentle winds, with little ice and snow to be found. While in the spring, the time I'm experiencing this treasure, Mount Putuo is often intertwined with fog, which makes the mountain look more like a fairyland.

No wonder that in this Buddhist Kingdom, nearly all the tourist spots are connected with Buddhism. And the leading destination for many to check out is the Pu Ji Chan Temple, also called the Fore Temple.
 
Located at the southern foot of Lingjiu Peak, Pu Ji Chan Temple ranks as the dominant temple at Mount Putuo.

When it was first established during the Song Dynasty, more than 1,000 years ago, the Temple was called Bu Ken Qu Guanyin Temple, literally translated as "Not-willing-to-leave Guanyin Temple". In the centuries following, the temple underwent name changes several times. During the reign of Emperor Kangxi, during the Qing Dynasty, more than 200 years ago, it was reconstructed and dubbed the Pu Ji Chan Temple.

Among the 586 halls in the Temple, Dayuantong Hall is the largest and is also ranked as the biggest main hall designated for worshiping Guanyin throughout the country. It is said that the hall can seat a hundred people at one time without feeling too cold and spacious and a thousand people together without feeling too crowded. Thus, Dayuantong Hall is also called "a hall with life".

Mount Putuo Photo: paintcn.org

Mount Putuo Photo: yiqq.com

In front of the Temple, you will find a lotus pond, with an Eternal Life Bridge crossing over it. Standing on the bridge, the nearby Multi Treasures Pagoda, Royal Stele Pavilion and Octagon Pavilion can be easily seen and appreciated, and match the surroundings perfectly. Altogether, they form a graceful painting that is not to be missed by every visitor.

Walking westward from the Puji Temple for a while, one will discover flagstones zigzagging on to the mountain, which leads to another famous scenic spot in Putuo – the Sunset at Pantuo Rock. It was already

Other buddhist shrines in China:

Mount Wutai     Mount Jiuhua     Mount Emei

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