South Putuo Temple
Xia Men, Fujian
A working Buddhist temple dedicated to Guanyin, rebuilt across the Song and Qing dynasties, standing directly beside the gates of Xiamen University.
Why visit South Putuo Temple?
Originally founded as a Tang-dynasty shrine and renamed and rebuilt multiple times since, the temple takes its name from its role as a 'southern' counterpart to the Guanyin pilgrimage site on Mount Putuo in Zhejiang — it's still an active site of worship, not a museum piece.
How to experience it
Pair it with a walk through the adjacent Xiamen University campus, considered one of China's most scenic, before or after visiting.
Tip
The temple's vegetarian restaurant is a local favourite — worth timing a visit around lunch.