Facing the graceful sea, this famous Buddhist temple was built over 1,000 years ago and is located at the top of Wulao Peak, a mountain in the South East of Xiamen Island and is popular with tourists and practicing Buddhists as well.

The temple houses several halls that are used for prayer and religious purposes. Visitors to the temple can discover a wealth of Buddhist tradition at Nanputuo Temple by gazing over these sacred halls. Upon entering the temple visitors will enter Devajara Hall or the Hall of Four Kings that houses the statues of the four ferocious Heavenly Kings. At the center of this hall stands a fat laughing Buddha.

Mahavira Hall is the home of Sakyamuni (Buddha of the Past), Kasyapa (Buddha of the present) and Maitreya (Buddha of the Future). Besides these three statues known collectively as the Trinity of the Three Ages, the walls of this hall also feature attractive murals that depict various Buddhist figures and stories.

Dabei Hall is an octagonal tower featuring the four statues of Avalokitesvara. These statues are enshrined on a lotus flower base. The Bodhisattva has 48 arms crossed in front of him, and each of these features a miniature eye with a scar.

Finally the Sutra Keeping Pavilion houses thousands of Buddhist scriptures, images of the Buddha from Burma, ivory and wood sculptures, and many other works of art.
Besides these main four halls, there are several other buildings at the temple including dormitories, study room and libraries for the monks who reside there. After its renovation in 1980’s Nanputuo Temple became a shining example of the new blend between culture and natural beauty with the way it has been laid out.

Visitors to the temple should also catch the chanting by the monks that is performed at both 4:30 in the morning and 4:00 in the afternoon. The early morning chanting is too early in the day for most, but witnessing it in the afternoon will definitely give a glimpse of Buddhist traditions.

Beyond the four halls there are also several giant boulders in the temple that have many ancient sayings carved on to their surface. There is also a nice lotus pool near the entrance of the temple and a vegetarian restaurant that serves a range of scrumptious food.
 
The Millennium Harbourview is one of the Xiamen hotels located in close proximity to Naputuo Temple, providing convenient access for its guests to this culturally rich destination.