Putuo Mountain Scenic Resort, with a land area of 41.95 square kilometers, consists of Putuo Mountain Island, Luojia Island, huosha Island, Xiaoshandong Island and the southeastern part of Zhujiajian Island. Putuo Mountain Island is 8.6 kilometers from north to south, 3.5 kilometers from west to east, covering an area of 12.5 square kilometers, Putuo mountain, primitively called after the book of Huayan sutra, Sa sacred Buddhist land.In history, one of the first National Key Scenic resorts in China.
Putuo Mountain is a part of Cathaysian. Since the Boyang Ice Age of early Pleistocene epoch, it was greatly affected by the climatic exchange of heat and cold and by the tectonic movement as well. Afterwards, there happened separation and reunification with the continent for several times.
Almost the whole island is covered with welded volcanic rhyolite granite from extruded during the first circle of the prime period of Jurassic Epoch. Because of long period of tide scouring, wind and wave beating, corrosion of marine organisms, palisades upraising and collapsing, a peculiar geological structure was formed, the same with the natural abrasion and marine geomorphic, all of which are bestowed the value for appreciation.
It is in the subtropical marine monsoon zone, warm and humid, with clear monsoon, no extremes of heat and cold. In this area, it is characterized by two systems of terrestrial organism with the greater variety.
Around this scenic resort, it is rich in the marine organism resources with 1163 species, ten and more categories, among which there are 194 species of plankton, 493 of benthic animals, 118 of benthic plant,
and 358 of swimming animals. Besides, its also rich in terrestrial coastal plant, including 50 species of 19 brake categories, 14 of 7 gymnosperm categories, 800 and more of 102 angiospenn categories, 108 of herbage, 28 of wooden vine, 118 of 41 bryophyte categories. The following kinds of plant are listed under the national protection. They are Carbines poutiness, Putuo camphor tree, Zhoushan Neolitsea sericea, Ginkgo biloba, Pseudolarix, Podocarpus nagi, Ilex chinensis, coral vegetable, cold bamboo, etc. The material Carbines poutiness has been found only on Putuo Mountain, facing the danger to extinction. As for the extraordinary Zhoushan Neolitsea sericea and Putuo camphor tree, It is only on a small number of islands in Zhoushan and Putuo Mountain that can be traced. Putuo Narcissus is one of the three narcissus categories in China. As for the animals, there are 119 species of birds, 16 of mammals, 24 of creepers, 8 of axnphibian animals, 140 of insects and 24 of aquatic animals. Animals under the National Key Protection are as follows: river deer, civet, pangolin, otter, kite, red abdomen hawk, lesser swan, falcon, red falcon and lesser curlew.
Bu
ddhism on Putuo mountain started at the end of Tang Dynasty, with all the temples and nunneries mainly dedicated to Bodhisattva Guanyin enthronement as its basic feature. In the Song Dynasty, imperial govermnents often appropriated funds and granted presents to Putuo Mountain, resulting in the gradual enlargement of Buddhist Mountain . In the heyday of Guanyin worship on Putuo Mountain, there were 219 temples and nunneries in all.
According to Mahayana doctrine, Guanyin is ranked at the fist place of other Budhisattvas. Her good faith of helping the poor, saving the suffering and infinitely merciful has been deep— rooted in the minds of ordinary people. Belief in Guanyin, as a most popular belief, has won the hearts of billions of followers around the world. Moreover, Putuo Mountain is closely connected to Guanyin, which people can find in the varied forms of culture such as architecture, sculpture, books and drawings, prose and essay, music, tablet engraving, stone carving, Guanyin traditional days, fork customs, tails and the designation of scenic spots. Thus, the unique Gunayin Culture comes into being. Putuo-even women and children, exerting an important effect in Southeastern Asia know Guanyin. Up to date, pilgrims in great number have shoaled to Putuo mountain every year from Japan, Korea, Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia.
The architectural style of the temples and nunneries on Putuo Mountain is a typical model of Qing Dynasty. The integral unity of the Buddhist building stresses the religious theme. Worshipping the Sacred”, patterned with the three large monasteries as its main parts, many temples and nunneries surrounding around. As an after math, “Sacred Budd
hist Land ” has been formed characterized with an island resort. Meanwhile, temples and nunneries are arranged in accordance with the shape of hill, or in contrast with the scenic landscape, which provides as a representative example of the perfect integration of architecture and environment in view of its close attachment to nature and harmonious accord with surroundings. The unique architectural style is based on the building technique of the traditional architecture in the South Yangtze River Area. The rare Duobao Pagoda, built at the end of the Yuan dynasty, was made of the rocks from Taihu Lake. This three— storied pagoda in treasure — box shape of Indian style, apart from the frescos and relief sculptures, is peerless in existence.
