Guanyin Pond Temple
观音塘
The "Big Stone Nunnery" at the foot of Cang Mountain, its main hall built on a giant boulder; a legend says Guanyin used the stone to block enemy troops, and it is an important Bai folk-faith site.
Guanyin Pond, also known as the Big Stone Nunnery, lies about 5 km south of Dali Old Town beside National Highway 214. According to legend, Guanyin disguised herself as an old woman and carried a huge boulder to block enemy soldiers. Later people built a pavilion on the boulder to honour Guanyin. The main hall stands on the stone, surrounded by water. It is an important site for Bai folk belief in Dali, and worshippers gather in large numbers during the Guanyin festival in the lunar calendar. The temple has a main hall, a Guanyin pavilion and two small pagodas, all finely built. Entry is free or charges a small fee. You can reach it by bicycle or taxi from the Old Town. A visit takes about 40 minutes, and it pairs well with Gantong Temple.
Opening hours
08:00–18:00
Nearby sights
- Gantong Temple
- Jizhao Nunnery
- Tianlong Babu Film City
- Dali Old Town
- Renmin Road (Dali Old Town)
- Longkan Pier
- Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple
- Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture Museum