The Legend of Mount Putuo
Mount Putuo is one of the four famous Buddhist mountains, located in Zhoushan City, Zhejiang Province, China. Below are four legendary stories about Mount Putuo.
1、 Guanyin Bodhisattva’s manifestation
Mount Putuo is the temple of Guanyin Bodhisattva, and it is said that Guanyin Bodhisattva once practiced and manifested on Mount Putuo. Legend has it that in ancient times, there was a fisherman named Zhang San whose wife suddenly fell ill with a strange disease and sought medical treatment everywhere without success. One day, while fishing by the seaside, Zhang San suddenly met a beautiful woman who claimed to be the incarnation of Guanyin Bodhisattva. She told Zhang San that his wife only needed to drink the sweet nectar in her hand to recover. Zhang San followed the advice of Guanyin Bodhisattva and drank sweet nectar for his wife after returning home. His wife’s illness miraculously improved. From then on, Zhang Sancheng became a loyal follower of Mount Putuo and spread the story of Guanyin Bodhisattva’s manifestation throughout the world.
2、 Jigong and Mount Putuo
Ji Gong was a Zen monk during the Southern Song Dynasty. He devoted his life to doing good deeds and accumulating virtue, and was deeply loved by the people. It is said that Ji Gong made several pilgrimage trips to Mount Putuo and left behind many legendary stories there. Once, when Ji Gong arrived at Mount Putuo, he found a huge rock blocking the path of the pilgrims. He used his magic to turn the giant rock into a huge turtle, allowing it to crawl on the mountain and provide convenience for the pilgrims. From then on, the pilgrims of Mount Putuo were no longer troubled by the giant stones and were grateful for the good deeds of Duke Ji.
3、 Five hundred Arhat visited Mount Putuo
According to legend, during the Ming Dynasty, a group of special guests came to Mount Putuo -500 Arhat. These Arhat came down from the sky to the Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva on Mount Putuo and said they would practice here. Guanyin Bodhisattva was very happy to accept them and arranged accommodation and food for them. Five hundred Arhat practiced on Mount Putuo for many years, and finally became immortals. It is said that when they ascended, they left behind a colorful auspicious cloud, adding a mysterious color to Mount Putuo. So far, there are still many legends and relics related to 500 Arhat on Mount Putuo.
4、 The Dragon King offers his treasure
Mount Putuo is an island surrounded by seawater. Legend has it that in ancient times, King Hailong greatly admired Guanyin Bodhisattva after learning that she was practicing on Mount Putuo, and decided to offer a precious treasure as a sign of respect. So he led the shrimp soldiers and crab generals to Mount Putuo to offer their treasures. When they arrived at Mount Putuo, it was already late at night. In order not to disturb the rest of Guanyin Bodhisattva, the Sea Dragon King and his shrimp soldiers and crab generals gently placed their treasures on Guanyin Bodhisattva’s lotus platform and quietly left. The next day, when Guanyin Bodhisattva discovered these treasures, she was very happy and left them on Mount Putuo for people to visit and worship. Since then, there have been many treasures on Mount Putuo for people to appreciate and worship. These treasures have become a major feature of Mount Putuo, attracting countless tourists to visit and worship.
The above are four legendary stories about Mount Putuo. These stories not only enrich the cultural connotation of Mount Putuo, but also showcase the profound historical and cultural heritage of the Chinese nation. At the same time, they have a strong educational significance, making people believe more in Buddhism and respect traditional culture.
