At dawn, stand at the edge of Liujingtan and quietly watch the eastern sky turn pale. A blazing red sun emerges from the end of the sea, filling visitors with indescribable excitement. Thousands of fishing boats sail toward the East China Sea facing the sunrise, forming a spectacular sight.

As a poem puts it: reefs are the home of the sea, and the sea is the garment of reefs. The sea of Shengsi is an unparalleled marvel. When gentle, the ocean ripples wrap around reefs, rising and falling close yet never touching, as if lovers of the islets and rocks. When raging, massive waves swallow boulders and torrential currents pound steep cliffs, sending spray flying like thousands of piles of snow, shrouding countless exotic reefs in mist. The sea’s pure radiance, soft grace and wild surges endow the reefs with a dynamic tranquil beauty, stirring tender sentiments and childhood fantasies in every viewer’s heart.

Situated in Wulong Township on the easternmost tip of main Sijiao Island, Liujingtan faces the vast East China Sea, lined with jagged bizarre rocks and steep cliffs pounded by crashing waves. It is the premier spot to watch maritime sunrises and fleets of fishing boats setting sail.

¥20

No direct public transport; chartered cars are recommended. A taxi from central Caiyuan Town costs around ¥40.

A small islet very close to Sijiao Island, Jinji Mountain hosts a fishing village. Climbing uphill for panoramic views of the fishing harbor offers fantastic photography material, where visitors can immerse themselves in authentic fishing hamlet and harbor culture.

During fishing moratoriums or typhoon seasons, the harbor is packed with docked fishing boats. Tourists may board vessels to chat with fishermen, learn about genuine coastal livelihoods and explore every part of the fishing boats. Photography enthusiasts can create vivid themed fishing village photo series using the boats as backdrops.

Take a motorized sampan ferry to Jinji Mountain from a simple pier near Small Caiyuan Ferry Terminal (ticket ¥1).

Named after the boundless compassion of Guanyin Buddhist culture, Mount Dabei sits in eastern Sijiao Island, ranking as the third highest peak across the Shengsi Archipelago. Linked to rolling hills to the west and bordering the sea to the east, it forms an equilateral triangle with Jihu and Nanchangtu Beaches.

Lingyin Temple clings to the mountainside, with three side chambers on both the north and south sides. Its main hall, the Mahavira Hall, houses a ten-foot tall Buddha Shakyamuni seated against the rear wall. Behind the statue stands the Thousand-Hand Guanyin, alongside the Heavenly King Hall and Arhat Hall.

A viewing platform atop Lingyin Temple is the ultimate overlook, dubbed "Summit of Mount Dabei", offering bird’s-eye panoramic vistas of both Jihu and Nanchangtu Beaches.

Shortly after Lingyin Temple was completed, Master Fang visited Master Huadao, the abbot. One evening, Master Fang said: "Your temple boasts grand architecture and flourishing incense, truly a renowned Buddhist shrine off the coast. Yet the Arhat Hall risks collapse; you should repair or rebuild it in time." Master Huadao dismissed the warning.

Before departing, at Master Huadao’s request, Master Fang inscribed the horizontal plaque above the temple gate with three characters: "Mount Dabei", meaning Guanyin Bodhisattva delivers all living beings with boundless compassion, urging the abbot to take heed. The mountain’s name has been passed down ever since.

Twenty years later, a violent thunderstorm hit, and the Arhat Hall indeed collapsed. Master Huadao was astonished. Fortunately, he had taken preventive measures after Master Fang’s reminder, so no lives were lost. He spread the story widely, claiming Master Fang was an incarnation of compassionate Guanyin come to enlighten him. Lingyin Temple rose to widespread fame, drawing endless pilgrims, and the legend of Guanyin’s divine manifestation spread to every islet of Shengsi.