Xiamen ferry terminal.

Tong'an Road straight from Zhongshan Park in Gonyuan Dong Lu was the early settlement of Xiamen Island.

Old colonial building features can be seen around Tong'an Road which is quite near to the ferry wharf terminal.

The city was a treaty port in the 19th century and one of the four original Special Economic Zones (the other three are Shenzen,Zhuhai,Shantou in Guangdong province)opened to foreign investment and trade when China began economic reforms in the early 1980s.

 In fact long before China's open door policy,the mainland Chinese were already drawn to the rich entrepots of Malacca,Singapore, Manila, and Batavia(Jakarta).

As trade developed between Europe and Asia in the following centuries,they were also attracted in considerable numbers to work in Ayutthaya, Thailand.

In 1842, Great Britain and China signed the Treaty of Nanking, which ceded the island of Hong Kong to Britain and opened five treaty ports to British trade and residence, including Xiamen (Amoy) and Fuzhou (Foochow) in Fujian Province.




British colonial architectural influence adds glamour to Xiamen.

The first British ship called at Xiamen (Amoy) in 1685.

Other nations, such as Denmark, France, the Netherlands, and Sweden, were quick to follow.

The first American traders arrived in 1784 after their war of independence.

 The British, however, dominated this renewed trade with China from the start, and around 1800 British trading vessels to China amounted to twice as many as all other nations combined.




Millennium Harbourview Hotel,five star luxury international hotel along Zhenhai Lu.

The change to the new millennium and China joining the World Trade Organisation has undoubtedly given Xiamen the new impetus.

 It is very popular as an international as well as domestic tourist destination.

Having been given the status as “Free Trade Zone”,years of frantic construction has given Xiamen a brand new look with improved streets, world class buildings, advanced telecommunication and state of the art landscaping.






Bangkok Bank China's head office is in Shanghai while the Xiamen Branch is at Xiamen Top Plaza, No.2 Zhenhai Road,beside the Tegoo Hotel in the East tower block.

 Many multi-national companies have established their presence in nearby office tower blocks as Xiamen is playing an important role in driving the economic growth of Southeastern China.

 



Statue beside Xiamen Swiss International Hotel on Lujiang Dao(Avenue),a stretch of coastal road where the three ferry pier is also located.

Along Lujiang Dao were many high rise magnificient modern skyscrapers facing the Xiamen Channel.

During the night,the whole area is like a fairyland with colourful neon lights providing the ambience.

The city is lively and bustling, and the downtown area is a great place to walk around, especially in the evening.

It seems to have more nightlife than the rest of China put together. People stroll around the streets, eat at stalls by the side of the road, go to the cinema or to one of the many restaurants and wine shops. Xiamen's second tallest building(43 floors) the Fortune Center is also in the vicinity.

To have a good panoramic view of the harbour and the distant Gulangyu Island,visit the rooftop restaurant of Lujiang Hotel.







Statues depicting fun and happiness at the People's Park near the ferry jetties.










Most of the senior citizens of Xiamen tend to spend their fruitful time here engaged in all kinds of recreational activities.



If Laos,Thailand and Cambodia have their Morlum singing group,the Teochew(Chaozhou) people also have the same match.

 One typical traditional instrument called 'Erhu '(二胡) which is a two-stringed bowed musical instrument quite similar to Western violin being used as a solo instrument as well as in small ensembles and large orchestras.






  Chinese traditional skill game and strategic challenge the 'Pai Gow' poker game.

 A very popular game during the early 60's also in the British colony of Malacca and Singapore where there were so many of these gambling dens to cater for the coolies working at the riverside quay.

 Pai Gow – the tile game – arrived in the America’s in the 19th century when Chinese immigrants came to the U.S. in search of work on the railroads. Pai Gow was a big hit among Americans who appreciated its subtle techniques and strategies.

However, many poker players found Pai Gow tiles cumbersome and difficult to keep on hand. The game gradually morphed into a form of poker, wherein traditional playing cards and standardized hand ranking replaced the heavy Pai Gow tiles.







 Gulangyu Island a short distance across Xiamen Channel from the jetty pier(pinyin:matou) and the statue standing on the cliff is General Zheng Chenggong.

The island became a foreign enclave following the Treaty of Nanking in 1842.

As a place of residence for Westerners during Xiamen's colonial past, Gulangyu is famous for its architecture and for hosting China's only piano museum, giving it the nickname of "Piano Island" or "The Town of Pianos" (鋼琴之鄉) or "The Island of Music" (音樂之島).

There are over 200 pianos on this island. The Chinese name also has musical roots, as 'gu lang' means drum waves because of the sound generated by the ocean waves hitting the reefs. Yu means "islet".

Gulangyu is a tourists island and the crowds at the ferry pier is very large even till the night.

The ferries were operated by Xiamen Ferry Company and tickets (plastic token) can be bought on the spot at the far end compound of Heping Matou (pier)

The fares per person to and fro is 8 Yuan.

There were two piers on the Gulangyu Island side,the main Lundu pier and Sanqiutian pier which is slightly further north.

The night ferry to Sanqiutian is 10 Yuan to and fro.

Travel time is 15 minutes operating from 06:00 -21:00 hrs which is the tourists hours and subsequently 21:10,21:20,21;40,22:00,22:20,22:40,23:00,23:20,23:40 and last 0:30.

After 22:00 onwards happy hours free.Coming back mainland last trip:24:00 hrs.

Ferry round Gulangyu Island tour:15 Yuan.

Cruising the waters between Xiamen and Kinmen Island fares per person is 126Yuan.

Kinmen or Jinmen or Quemoy is a small archipelago of several islands administered by Republic of China (Taiwan):-Greater Kinmen, Lesser Kinmen, and some islets.

Administratively, it is Kinmen County of Fujian Province, ROC.

The county is claimed by the People's Republic of China (PRC) as part of its own Fujian Province's Quanzhou Prefecture.

It is geographically very near Xiamen, no more than 2 kilometers. Kinmen tours have always been very popular among mainland tourists who travel to Xiamen.

There are hourly ferry from Xiamen to Kinmen between 8:30 to 17:30, the one way ferry ticket is RMB 180 {150 (ferry) + 30 (admin fee)}.Travel time about an hour between Taiwan Jinshui port to Xiamen Heping port.

Hong Kong-registered Cosco Star Chinese passenger cargo ship sail from Xiamen port to Kaohsiung,Taichung and Keelung harbour.Sleeping berth starts from USD126.









Travellers from other parts of the city wishing to go to the harbour pier can head for BRT 第一码头站 (Di yi matou BRT Station).

 Once you come out from here turn right and walk for about 10 minutes to reach the Heping Matou where the ferries to Gulangyu Island is located.

 Along the way to Heping Matou,you'll first see a ticketing office which is specially for those going to Zhangzhou.
Not very crowded but mainly the locals.

Zhangzhou (漳州) is a prefecture level city bordering the cities of Xiamen (廈門) and Quanzhou (泉州) to the northeast, Longyan City to the northwest and the province of Guangdong to the southwest.

Ferry timetable:06:35 - 17:30 and 17:45 -21:30,every 15 minutes. Fares:14 Yuan.

 


Feeling excited to head for  Zhangzhou, got hold of a ticket and joined the other passengers to this ferry boat which can accomodate about 40 people.

The journey took about 45 minutes heading straight pass the small island in the vicinity.

On my arrival at the other side of the jetty,there seemed to be no highrise buildings around except for a small bus terminal with many industrial factories cum bonded warehouses.

The people here speak the Teochew dialect and to venture into nearby towns requires couple of hours so decided returning to Xiamen.

For land transport,Xiamen to Zhangzhou Bus leave from Hubin South Bus Station via Haicang Bridge ,Xinglin ,Guankou and Riyuegu Hotsprings Resort.

 These 'tongkang' or cargo boats were popular scene at the Singapore and Malacca River during the early 19h century afterall both cities were early settlements of the Fujian people.

Over here in Xiamen,the tongkangs were still used to carry goods and ferrying some of the Gulangyu residents who wished to avoid the huge crowds at the ferry terminal.

 Travellers need to pay 5 Yuan per trip and sit on a small plastic stool.








Another boat pier ticketing booth to non touristy spot:
-Xiamen via Fu Gong(20Yuan) to Bai Sui (25 Yuan)
Ferry time: 7:30 8:30 9:30 10:30 11:30 13:00 14:30 15:30 16:30 17:30
Can't figure out where are these two locations.




 



Mobile train ticket booking booth near the Lundu Matou beside the ferry to Gulangyu Pier.

 Bullet Trains:

1). Fuzhou-Xiamen (about 1.5 hours) - 103 yuan for first-class seat - 85 yuan for second-class seat

 2). Fuzhou-Putian (about 50 minutes) - 39 yuan for first-class seat - 32 yuan for second-class seat

3). Fuzhou-Quanzhou (about 70 minutes) - 64 yuan for first-class seat - 53 yuan for second-class seat Normal trains: K308/K305

Xiamen Beijing West= 22:10- 1day 8hr 55m- 2287km= 428 Yuan (26 stops) K946/K947

Xiamen Guiyang= 20:17 and 05:56- 1day 9hr 39m -2166km= 401 Yuan(25 stops) D3214

Xiamen Hangzhou= 10:00- 8hr 14m- 1194km=294 Yuan (20 stops) K2314/K231

Xiamen Kunming= 15:40 and 07:30 1day 16hr 13m- 2516km=449 Yuan(24 stops) K162

Xiamen Nanning=15:36, 09:43, 15:41- 1day 3hr 54m- 1396km= 324 Yuan (18 stops) D3120

Xiamen / Xiamen North Shanghai Hongqiao= 08:12- 8h 47m- 1123km= 331 Yuan (17 stops) K244/K241

Xiamen Xian= 16:36, 05:50, 1day 13hr 51m- 2240km= 416 Yuan (27 stops)

Ocean liner passing by Xiamen Straits leaving from Haicang Port.
It was cruising towards Dongdu Port(Xiamen International Cruise terminal) which is the longest serving port located in northwest Xiamen.

Royal Caribbean Cruises' "Voyager of the Seas", dubbed as a 'Floating hotel' due to the vast range of facilities that it offers, is one of the largest passenger ships in the world and has made Xiamen its homeport since 2011.





Luxury cruise ferry berthing near the Heping Terminal, an International Tourist Ferry Terminal.

 As a Chinese coastal city, Xiamen has a long history of sea transportation.

Xiamen-Hong Kong Sailing Schedule Route Ship Departure Time:-

 Xiamen Jimei-Hong Kong :17:00hrs every Wednesday

Hong Kong-Xiamen Jimei :14:00hrs every Tuesday

Public buses No. 3, 4, 8, 12, 27, 32, 51, 71, 97 and 533 pass by the ferry terminal.

Ferryboat Schedule of Xiamen-Gulangyu Island Evening Cruise Schedule

21:10, 21:20, 21:40, 22:00, 22:20, 22:40, 23:00, 23:20, 23:50, 00:30 21:10, 21:30, 21:50, 22:10, 22:30, 22:50, 23:10, 23:40, 00:20

Xiamen MAP

Xiamen Botanical Garden

Revolutionary Martyr's Memorial Park (Chinese: 烈士陵园; pinyin: Lièshì Língyuán) beside Huyuan Road.

An open memorial park with bronze statues of soldiers advancing in proclamation of victory.

To reach here you need to get a bus to 一中(pinyin:yi zhong) bus stop just directly opposite Xiamen City Hotel or walk from nearby Zhongsan Park.









"Yi zhong " is actually Number One Middle School and the word is simplest to remember

.Most Southeast Asian Chinese secondary schools also used such name.

Take Buses No. 3, 18, 19, 21 or 809 to this stop (pinyin:zhan)
How to read this bus route: Bus move from left(near the bus number) to your current position(in red wordings) and the balance of subsequent stops.

If it's nearby just pay a 1Yuan bill and the maximum fares is 2 Yuan.

Huyuan Road connects via a tunnel to Siming South Road which is a shortcut to the coastal Island Ring Road.

At the end of this tunnel will be near the Nanputuo Temple but unfortunately there was no pedestrian walkway.

The cable cars operated by Straco Corporation Limited-Singapore (Stock ticker:S85) were plying from the Wanshi Botanical Garden in Xiamen National Park along Zhonggu Mountain.



  Xiamen´s most obvious attraction is of course its natural beauty,idyllic climate, deep natural harbor (one of the best in the world), and strategic coastal location between Hong Kong and Shanghai, and facing Taiwan.

 Xiamen had China´s first daily air quality forecasts, and was a pilot city for national environment protection and the first ISO-authenticated garden.

Former U.S. President Richard Nixon, who once toured Xiamen in September 1985 said that of all the cities he had visited in the past 38 years Xiamen was the most beautiful.






West gate entrance near the Revolutionary Martyr's Monument to Wanshi Botanical garden also known as Xiamen Botanical Garden.

 Actually the large blue lake is the Modanyan Reservoir on the northern slope of Shi Mountain in southeast urban area of Xiamen.

Modanyan reservoir was built in 1952 with extension of Wanshi Botanical Garden, which is divided into more than 20 botanical zones, cultivating grounds and display rooms for more than tens of thousands of cultivated tropical.

Wanshi Botanical Garden has scenic spots such as the Morning Bell of Heaven, the Reading and Music Playing Cave, the Cloud Locking Stones, the Jade Scepter Rock and the Peace Stone.
Entrance Fee: 40Yuan ,Opening Hours: 05:00-18:00 .

Xiamen Botanical Garden is situated in downtown Xiamen, to the southeast of Zhongshan Park.

 It was set up in 1960 and its architectural layout was designed according to the Chinese ancient garden-style residence.

This is a very educational park in understanding the various type of floras,the ecology and rocks formation.

Some of the rocks have ancient calligraphic inscriptions.
In the Pine and China Fir Garden, eye-catching trees like the metasequoia,cypress and gingko trees can be seen.

The Victoria amazonica, a giant water lily, whose massive leaves look like giant pans grows in some of the big ponds.

Tags along the trails writtten in Chinese and Latin the names and origins of the plants.

Wulao Peak (pinyin:Wulao feng, 五老峰) or "Five Old Men Peak" is the highest point overlooking the Nanputuo Temple.

The winding road uphill might prove too tough for some people to walk so there's also an internal minibus services to the Wulao Cable Car Station.




The South Gate that links to Xiamen University.

There were many kinds of tropical and sub-tropical plants surrounding the hills.

On the peak overlooking Xiamen University is a Military Museum, as well as the Buddhist nunnery that explains why centuries of Nanputuo monks have worn so many trails over the Five Old Men Mountains in search of enlightenment.

 Entrance via the backway from Xiamen University to the Botanical Garden might require a cheaper fee or possibly free if you just ignore when nobody ask.

Main Attractions:
Spring & Autumn Bridge (Chunqiu Qiao) between Bamboo Path and Palm Garden Tiger Stream Temple (Huxi Yan Si) ,Tiger Stream Night Moon (Huxi Yeyue), Wan Shilian Temple (Wan Shilian Si) ,Border of Heaven Temple (Tianjie Si).




Tianjie Temple(Tianjie Si) occupies a high level ground.
Its famous morning bell can be heard far and near and was listed among the eight must see sights of Xiamen---"Bell Tinkling at dawn from the Heaven Border."

Panoramic view of the city from Tianjie Temple.

  There were numerous stone inscriptions carved  cliffs behind the temple and one such section with engraved words near the Long Howling Cave was carved during the reign of Emperor Wanli of the Ming Dynasty.











Xue Qifeng, a famous scholar of early Qing Dynasty,praised it in one of his poems like this---
"Hills and rocks combine all the views and the garden has been claiming unparalleled wonder through the ages."

There has been such a saying as "The things that can make one smile and happy can not be expressed."

Bronze josstick urn.

 Joss sticks are used for a variety of purposes associated with ritual and religious devotion in China.

Traditionally burned before the threshold of a home or business, before an image of a Chinese popular religion divinity or spirit of place, or in small and humble or large and elaborate shrine found at the main entrance to each and every villages.

Spiral joss sticks are also used on a regular basis, which are found hanging above temple ceilings, with burn times that are exceedingly long hours.

During the Ghost Festival, very large pillar-like dragon joss sticks are sometimes used and this festival is very popular anually in Singapore.

This bronze josstick urn was donated by two Overseas Chinese (華僑 -- Huáqiáo).

They were from the Philippines. The Chinese Filipinos belonging either the Fujianese or Cantonese dialect groups of the Han nationality have always been one of the largest Filipino ethnic groups in the Philippines.

 It can be said that a large population of Pinoys have Chinese ancestry.

Those who intermarriage during the Spanish colonial era are known as Chinese mestizos just like the national hero Dr. Jose Rizal.

 Famous Pinoys who are of Chinese descents include Corazon Aquino(former president),Henry Sy (owner of giant retailer SMGroup),Lucio Tan Eng Tsai (owns San Miguel Brewery,Philippines Airlines),Tony Tan Chak Tiong ('Jollibee' restauranteur) and many others.

There were Minnan (Southern Fujianese) dialect incorporated into the Tagalog,official language of the Philippines. Xiamen's first international school is the Manila Xiamen International School located at No:735 Long Hu Shan Lu, Zengcuo'an,Siming District.






Starting from the rain forest area,the road uphill became very winding and having steep gradient.

 The physical features of the terrain have close similarity to Maxwell Hill (Taiping Hill) near Taiping town in the state of Perak,West Malaysia.

 As you proceeded uphill via Taipingyan Temple,the distance to Wulao's Peak is still at least an hour walk.

Cactus and Succulent Zone is a very interesting site,visitors can see the various sizes and types of cacti.

Cactus has a lot of sharp spines or thorns which keeps the plant safe but is harmful to human beings so don't go near or touch it.

A voice from a loudspeaker here in this park will suddenly scream at you.

Beautiul landscaping with cactus succulent.
Cactus are well adapted to desert conditions, using their stems to store water during extended dry seasons and are credited as the world's largest family of succulent plants.





Extracting solar energy from the sun with solar panels and a wind energy turbine.













A CCTV lampost in the background scrutinised visitors attempting to go too near the cacti succulent plants.





  Flowering cactus potruding from the spores.Cactus flowers are pollinated by insects, birds and bats but not wind-pollinated and self-pollination.

Cactus are great ornamental plants for homes and offices.

They are very low maintenance plants.

Commercial extraction of cactus for herbal,cosmectics or jams is also a big consumer business.

Cacti are also flowering plants that serve an important role in their ecosystem by providing food and shelter to many animals, birds and reptiles. Opuntia basilaris, the Beavertail Cactus about to blossom.

The Beavertail cactus (Opuntia basilaris), a related species with flat pads, grows between one and two feet tall.

Ficus microcarpa-Boschotia javahica,the Chinese Bayan tree clinging to the walls.
Bonsai miniature plants are from the Ficus specie.






In case of emergency,the service centre call number is 110 being the police (gong'an).Xiamen Public Security Bureau.

A small community living near the Cactus and Succulent Zone.

At the far end turn right into a dirt road and then walk towards the left along the tar road will lead you downhill to the South Gate.

Having enquired from one of the residents here,he told me that this is a shortcut down to Xiamen University.

 If you still have the energy to walk uphill,then use the other normal path to the South Gate.

Chinese made old series missile in front of Military Museum office.

The YJ-6 anti-ship missile was designed to attack ships up to light cruiser class.







Type 88 is a series of second-generation main battle tanks entered service with the People's Liberation Army (PLA) in the 1980s.

Anti-aircrafts gun.
It is a towed, road-mobile anti-aircraft weapon designed to engage low-speed airborne targets at short- to medium-range.














After seeing this jet-fighter plane,walk straight ahead you'll see some student dormitories .Just keep to your right and follow the path downhill to reach the South Gate and subsequently Xiamen University. There will be road directions sign along the way so it won't be of any problem

Nanputuo Buddhist Temple

Nanputuo Temple situated at the foothill of Wulaofeng (Five Old Men Peak) and next to Xiamen University.

 The Buddhist temple is over 1,000 years old and  Xiamen's oldest sight.

The temple was once called Puzhao Temple (Universal Grace Temple).

It was first built during the Tang Dynasty (618-907),but was later was destroyed in the warfare during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

 During the reign of Qing Emperor Kangxi (1662-1722), it was rebuilt and renamed Nanputuo Temple. There is a path behind the temple where visitors can climb up the hill to the very top and have a panoramic of the city and nearby islands.

A multi-storey pagoda with the Kah Kee Building Complex in nearby Xiamen University's vicinity.

 Buddhist stupas and temples first introduced in China did not appear in the same form they look in India.

Rather than keeping the structure of the stupa as it had appeared for centuries in India and Central Asia, the Chinese adapted them to fit their architectural styles.

 Emperor Ming of the Eastern Han Dynasty (reigned 59-75BC) was the first to devote to Buddhism and he instructed the building of the White Horse Temple and Yongning Temple near Luoyang ,Henan Province Central China.

Luoyang was one of the four great ancient capitals of China. The temple covers 30,000 square meters with four main buildings on the north-south axis.

 The buildings include :
1) Devajara Hall (the Hall of Heavenly Kings),
2) Mahavira Hall (Daxiongbaodian),
3) Dabei Hall (the Hall of Great Compassion) and a Pavilion built in 1936 in which Buddhist scriptures, Buddha images from Burma, ivory sculptures and other works of art were stored.

The many rooms flanking the main buildings include dormitories, libraries and study rooms for monks.

  Devajara Hall: Also called the Hall of Heavenly Kings (Tian Wang Dian).
Devajara Hall is the location of the statues of four ferocious Heavenly Kings.
 In the center of the hall stands a fat Buddha, Maitreya or Milefo.
With a broad smile, bare chest and exposed paunch, Maitreya represents the Buddha of the future, also known as the Laughing Buddha.

  Mahavira Hall: Mahavira Hall is built in 1921 and features the statues of the Trinity of the Three Ages (Sakyamuni, the Buddha of the Present; Kasyapa, the Buddha of the Past; and Maitreya, the Buddha of the Future), Avalokitesvara (Guanyin Bodhisattva, the Goddess of Mercy) and Avalokitesvara's disciples.
Most of the attractive murals on the wall depict Buddhist stories and figures from India.





  Dabei Hall: The Dabei Hall is an octagonal tower which was rebuilt in 1928.
Inside, four Statues of Avalokitesvara were enshrined on a lotus-flower base.
The Bodhisattva with his arms crossed in front of his chest has 48 hands stretching out.
Each hand features a miniature scared eye.
Two banyans were planted on each side of the hall.

Sutra-Keeping Pavilion(pinyin:Ge): The Sutra-Keeping Pavilion was built in 1936 and houses thousands of Buddhist scriptures, Buddha images from Burma, ivory Sculptures, wood sculptures, bronze bells, incense burner and other works of art.
One particular porcelain Avalokitesvara in the Pavilion is said to be very precious.

This Chinese Phoenix or Fenghuang sculpture sits near the top of the temple.
 Images of an ancient bird have appeared in China for over 4,000 years.
 It was believed that the phoenix only appear in areas or places that are blessed with utmost peace and prosperity or happiness.
It is a symbol of high virtue and grace.
 In ancient and modern Chinese culture, they can often be found in the decorations for weddings or royalty, along with dragons.




 
The Celestial Chinese Dragon is comparable as the symbol of the Chinese race itself.

Chinese around the world, proudly proclaim themselves "Lung Tik Chuan Ren" (Descendents of the Dragon).

Dragons are referred to as the divine mythical creature that brings with it ultimate abundance, prosperity and good fortune.

As the emblem of the Emperor and the Imperial command, the legend of the Chinese Dragon permeates the ancient Chinese civilization and shaped their culture until today.
Its benevolence signifies greatness, goodness and blessings.

The Chinese Dragon, or Lung , symbolizes power and excellence, valiancy and boldness, heroism and perseverance, nobility and divinity.
A dragon overcomes obstacles until success is his.
He is energetic, decisive, optimistic, intelligent and ambitious.
Occupying the 5th position in the Chinese Zodiac, the Dragon is the mightiest of the signs.
Dragons symbolize such character traits as dominance and ambition. Dragons prefer to live by their own rules and if left on their own, are usually successful.

Monks ritual ceremony at the Dabei Hall.
Monks robes are usually orange in colour but most of the monks here have additional red robes overcoat which must be a symbol of their highest hierarchy equals to that of an Abbot.

Chinese Buddhist monks have been traditionally and stereotypically linked with the practice of the Chinese martial arts or Kung fu, and monks are frequently important characters in martial arts films.

 This association is focused around the Shaolin Monastery at Song Shan, near Zhengzhou City, Henan Province in Dengfeng, China.

The Buddhist monk Bodhidharma is traditionally credited as the founder of Zen Buddhism in China and most Chinese practise Mahayana Buddhism similar to those in Vietnam,Thailand and Cambodia except for Laos is Theravada Buddhism.

One feature about the Chinese Buddhist monks is that they practice the burning marks on their scalp, finger or part of the skin on their anterior side of the forearm with incense as a sign of ordination.

The elephant(pinyin:Xiang) in Chinese art is a symbol of strength and wisdom.
It also bears some reference to Buddhism as the elephant is a sacred animal in Buddhist traditions.
 In China the Buddha is sometimes depicted riding an elephant, which may reference the religion’s origin as transported from India.
A stone elephant emphasizes the concept of strength or power while an elephant with a vase can be interpreted as a sign of peaceful times.

  Bell (pinyin:Zhong),the symbol of peace and good luck.

The Big Bell Temple, or Da Zhong Temple located on Beisanhuan Road in Beijing, China built in 1733 during the reign of Emperor Yongzheng of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) has the famous "Yongle" Big Bell weighing about 46 tons, with a height of 5.5 meters and a diameter of 3.3 meters.

The bell is famous not only because of its size, but probably more importantly because of the over 230,000 characters of Buddhist scriptures engraved on it.

The sound of the bell could be heard 50 kilometers away from the temple in the depth of night.

Ancient Chinese buildings were very unique as they don't require any nails in timber wood joinery.
 A fundamental achievement of Chinese wooden architecture is the load-bearing timber frame, a network of interlocking wooden supports forming the skeleton of the building.
Buildings in China have been supported by wooden frames for as long as many centuries.
The craftsmen cut the wooden pieces to fit so perfectly that no glue or fasteners were necessary.
 In traditional Chinese architecture, the layered pieces of the ceiling are held together by interlocking bracket sets (斗拱,pinyin: dǒugǒng).



Buddha in 3 different postures.
 Protection Buddha: Signifies courage, offers protection from fear, delusion and anger
Teaching Buddha : Signifies wisdom, understanding, and fulfilling destiny Enlightenment Buddha: Signifies insight, purity of character, self-mastery Decorative sculptures.

Of the 6 million overseas Chinese whose hometowns are in Fujian Province, most set off from Xiamen.
 It is said that before embarking on their journeys many of these emigrants came to Nanputuo Temple to ask the Buddha's blessing for their safety and prosperity.
In return, they promised to donate money to the temple.
Many of these people have kept their promises, and a number of the temple's construction projects have been financed by their donations.





  Looks like a Warrior God holding a sword.
He must be a tyrant during ancient kingdom where the peasants will most likely fear of.
Hence the result of worshiping till today.
Legend never dies.