Nanputuo Temple

Like most of the temples in China, Nanputuo Temple (Nanputuo Si) has seen its share of violence and destruction. The temple's original construction was built more than a millennium ago, then it was destroyed and later rebuilt during the Tang Dynasty, only to repeat the process during the Ming Dynasty and yet again during the Cultural Revolution. Later, the temple was renovated yet again during the early 1980s left the temple as it is today.

The temple consists of four separate halls of worship, monks quarters and some of the finest maintained grounds and landscapes you're likely to find in any Chinese temple. Stone carvings, lotus filled ponds and secluded caves are scattered around the grounds. If you're after a bit of good luck, try tossing a coin on the rock behind the main temple, which is said to bring good luck your way. Behind the smoky courtyards, libraries, monk's digs, temples and statues of laughing Buddha Milefo is Wulao Feng, "the peak of five old men," which overlooks the South China Sea, offering a scenic view of Xiamen University campus and the sprawling urban metropolis of Xiamen.

Take a bus or cab to the temple which sits very close to Xiamen University on Siming Nan Lu (Siming Nanlu). The temple and the university gates are within 100 meters of each other.