Travel Tips for Mount Putuo

Temple Etiquette Rules

1. Buying Incense: The word "buy" should be replaced with "invite" when purchasing incense in temples.
2. Main Gate: Do not enter any temple or nunnery through the main front gate, which is reserved for monastics.
3. Palm Gesture for Worship: Keep your palms facing upward while kowtowing as a sign of respect to Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Palms facing downward are only used when paying homage to ancestors.
4. Lighting Incense: Light incense only at designated ignition stations. Do not take fire from incense burners or use personal lighters out of convenience.
5. Left & Right Hands: Hold incense with your left hand, which Buddhism regards as the purest hand, then insert it respectfully into the censer with your right hand.
6. Wishes & Prayers: When making a vow, clearly state your name, hometown, your request, and where you will return to fulfill your vow once your wish comes true. Many pilgrims kowtow and pray before statues without knowing their identities. Buddhas and Bodhisattvas respond to sincere requests, yet they cannot grant blessings if you do not know which deity you are addressing. Learn the name of the Buddha or Bodhisattva before worshiping.
7. Vow Fulfillment: Sincerity makes prayers efficacious. If you burn incense and make vows in every temple but fail to return and fulfill them after your wish is granted, it is considered inauspicious. You may burn incense widely to show respect, but limit formal vows to one or two deities.
8. Buddhist Ritual Instruments: Devotional tools such as wooden fish and meditation benches may be gently touched after worship to absorb auspicious Buddhist energy. Never touch the Buddha statues themselves.
9. Official Incense Stalls: All temples operate official incense counters. Ignore merchants selling overpriced "fortune incense", "wisdom incense" or "longevity incense" packaged in expensive sets to overcharge pilgrims. Three sticks of plain incense offered with sincere heart are sufficient before any Buddha statue.

General Travel Precautions

1. Peak Season Reservations: During peak periods including the Spring Festival, May Day Holiday, National Day, the 19th day of the 2nd lunar month (Guanyin’s Birthday), the 19th day of the 6th lunar month (Guanyin’s Enlightenment Day) and the 19th day of the 9th lunar month (Guanyin’s Nirvana Day), massive pilgrims flood Mount Putuo. Book ferry tickets and accommodation well in advance.
2. Safety Outdoors: Exercise caution when photographing rocky coastal landscapes; watch your step on slippery surfaces in rainy weather. Stay on marked trails while mountain climbing. Open flames, smoking and lit incense candles are strictly forbidden in forested zones for fire prevention. Pay attention to food hygiene; enjoy seafood moderately. Strong coastal winds may cause colds.
3. Swimming Supplies in Summer: Purchase towels, slippers and swimwear before boarding the island. Prices for such goods on Mount Putuo are extremely inflated.
4. Day Trip to Zhujiajian: If you stay on Mount Putuo and plan a one-day trip to Zhujiajian, get a stamp at the ferry terminal exit after buying your outbound ticket. This exempts you from repurchasing the Mount Putuo entry ticket for your return on the same day.
5. Authorized Ticket Purchase: Buy all transport tickets only at official counters, never from scalpers.
6. Personal Belongings on Transport: Keep close track of your luggage on buses and ferries; note the quantity and placement of your belongings.
7. Accommodation Security: Fully lock doors and windows at night when staying in lodging to avoid safety incidents.
8. Check Belongings at Check-out: Double-check all personal items before checking out to prevent loss.
9. Cash Carrying: Banks, post offices and ATMs are available on the island; there is no need to carry large sums of cash.