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The island of Hainan has been an important place for Buddhism since its arrival to China. This area is considered to be holy and is devoted to Avalokitesvara, who is considered an incarnation of Buddha in some traditions and a Bodhisattva in others. In Buddhism, a Bodhisattva is someone who achieved a very high level of knowledge and enlightenment and seeks to enlighten all those around him. Avalokitesvara, also known as Guan-Yin, is often represented as female. She had twelve wishes during her life, and one of them was to live near the South China Sea. Today, Hainan is a holy site and considered the home of Avalokitesvara. Construction of the Nanshan Temple was completed in April 1998 to mark the 2000th anniversary of the arrival of Buddhism to China. With the rapid urban growth on the island, the temple quickly became popular and receives many local and foreign visitors each year.

The Nanshan Temple compound consists of a huge park with many structures scattered over the terrain and connected by different pedestrian paths. The main entrance to the complex is through a gate, built following the style of traditional Chinese architecture from the 5th and 6th century. From there, a long, open avenue runs from north to south, crowned by a large statue of Avalokitesvara, built on an artificial island on the sea. On the sides of this path, there are several Buddhist halls and statues, as well as small shops selling incense, religious objects, and vegetarian food. The statue built on the artificial island is the Guan-Yin of the South Sea, often known just as the On-sea statue. It consists of a representation of Avalokitesvara with three sides, standing on top of a lotus-shaped throne. One side of the statue faces the park and the other two face the sea, as a symbol of blessings and protection. Construction began in 1999 and finished in 2005. A concrete pedestal with...