Fodor's Expert Review Nanputuo Temple

Dating from the Tang Dynasty, Nanputuo Temple has roofs decorated with brightly painted clusters of flowers and statues of sinewy serpents and mythical beasts. It has been restored many times, most recently in the 1980s, with more touch-ups in recent years. Pavilions on either side of the main hall contain tablets commemorating the suppression of secret societies by Qing Dynasty emperors. As the most important of Xiamen's temples, it is nearly always buzzing as monks and worshippers mix with tour groups. The latter often miss the intriguing small statues embedded in stone crannies behind the back of the main complex.