The South Sea Guanyin blesses every person who prays. Sanya has long been known as a land of auspicious blessings.

As the flight to Sanya is about to land, through the window you can see the 108-meter-tall white-robed Guanyin standing by the South Sea shore. The plane often circles here—a unique "aerial pilgrimage" perspective that lets all travelers feel the sacred atmosphere even before landing. This world's tallest sea Guanyin statue is not just a scenic spot but a spiritual landmark in the hearts of countless people.

During the Tang Dynasty, Monk Jianzhen stayed at Nanshan on his fifth voyage to Japan, and the Japanese envoy monk Kukai also landed here. In 1993, to continue this millennium-old Buddhist connection, the Nanshan Cultural Tourism Zone began construction, and in 2005 the sea Guanyin statue was officially consecrated. The integrated three-Guanyin design faces Mainland China, Taiwan, and the South Sea, symbolizing "compassion, wisdom, and peace."

🌊 A breathtaking pilgrimage experience
1️⃣ "First glimpse of Buddha’s light" from the plane
When the plane circles above the South Sea Guanyin, the statue in the sunlight looks like a white magnolia rising from the sea, and the cabin is filled with waves of awe. This unique "God’s eye view" makes the journey to Sanya start with surprise.

2️⃣ The mysterious world inside the lotus pedestal
Cross the 280-meter-long Puji Bridge to reach Guanyin Island. Inside the lotus throne is the 15,000-square-meter Yuantong Hall. Eight Vajra pillars engraved with sutras and 99,999 small golden Buddhas enshrined inside hide many secrets. The most amazing is that clapping your hands at a specific spot produces seven echoes, symbolizing the Buddhist "Seven-level Pagoda."

3️⃣ The 108-meter-high pilgrimage path
Take the seven-story elevator up to the lotus throne to embrace the Buddha’s feet and pray. Each Buddha foot is 3.8 meters long—giant footprints as tall as two people—where devout visitors stand coins upright to make wishes. The thousand relief carvings on the soles depict the "Legend of Bodhisattva Guanyin," a three-dimensional Buddhist encyclopedia.

🚢 Surrounding highlights
Looking from the Guanyin statue toward the South Sea, you can often see white cruise ships cutting through the blue sea, creating a dynamic "Buddha Kingdom of the South Sea" scene. The Nanshan Temple, Thirty-Three Guanyin Hall, and Chanyueyuan vegetarian restaurant in the scenic area are also worth a peaceful visit. Especially at noon, the "Nanshan Longevity Peach" at the vegetarian hall is so lifelike it’s hard to eat.

When the sea breeze brushes Guanyin’s robes, and fishing boats and cruise ships leave silver trails on the blue waves, you suddenly understand why this place is called "the closest place to heaven." Standing on the lotus platform looking back at the Puji Bridge, it feels like traveling through a time tunnel—coming with hope, returning filled with peace.

Post by Olivia.Perry.62 | Oct 26, 2025