Overview:
Pronounced “poo tuoh shan”, meaning beautiful white flower in Mandarin, Putuoshan is the Buddhist holy mountain in the east. The other Buddhist holy mountains are
- Wutai Shan (north)
- Jiuhua Shan (south)
- Emei Shan (west)
The island is a national park and garners an entrance fee (not inclusive of inexpensive entry fees for temples and other attractions).
Location:
Putuoshan is located on a small island off the coast of Zhejiang province in the East China Sea. It is easily (and best) accessible from Shanghai. (See Getting There below.)
History:
While there are many legends surrounding the establishment of Putuoshan as a Buddhist sanctuary, the most-repeated is that during the ninth century, a Japanese monk making his way from China back to Japan carrying a statue of Guanyin, the Goddess of Mercy, was caught in a storm. The Goddess appeared and told him to leave the statue and guided him to safety at Putuoshan where he erected a temple (Puji Si) in her honor.
Currently about one-third of the population of 3,000 are nuns and monks. Today the island attracts numerous pilgrims and holiday makers.
Features & Attractions:
- Visit the three famous temples: Puji, Fayu and Huiji.
- Walk and hike around the whole island. Only 12.5 square km, it can be circumnavigated in a day.
- Try the beaches in the summer; the two most famous are the Hundred Step Beach and the Thousand Step Beach.
- Hike up to the top of 297m highest peak and site of Huiji Temple for views of the island and the sea.
- There are minibuses that you can hop on and off of when you tire of walking and a cable car that will take non-hikers up and down the peak.
Getting There:
Putuoshan is accessible by ferry from Shanghai. There are two daily ferries:
- 12-hour night ferry
- 3-hour high-speed ferry (leaves mid-day).
Staying There:
There are many hotels and hostels on Putuoshan. There is a hotel counter at the ferry wharf where you can find available accommodation but it’s best to book in advance during peak (summer) months. Two recommendations are
- Purple Bamboo Hotel, tel +86 58 0669 8001
- Putuoshan Hotel, tel +86 58 0609 2828

