Guanyin of the South Sea of Sanya
남산 해상관음상
The Guanyin of Nanshan is a giant statue of Guanyin, the Buddhist bodhisattva of compassion, on the south coast of Hainan island in China. It stands beside Nanshan Temple near the city of Sanya and looks out over the South China Sea.
See it on the 3D globe →At a glance
- Country
- China
- Location
- Sanya, Hainan, China
- Built
- 2005
- Height
- 108 m
- Type
- Statue
Quick answers
Where is Guanyin of the South Sea of Sanya?
Guanyin of the South Sea of Sanya is in Sanya, Hainan, China.
When was Guanyin of the South Sea of Sanya built?
Guanyin of the South Sea of Sanya was built in 2005.
How tall is Guanyin of the South Sea of Sanya?
Guanyin of the South Sea of Sanya is about 108 m tall.
A 108 m white statue of Guanyin with three faces, standing on an islet facing the sea.
The statue is 108 metres tall including its base, and 78 metres without it. For comparison, the Statue of Liberty is 93 metres with its pedestal and 46 metres without. It was blessed on 24 April 2005 after six years of work, with 108 monks from different Buddhist groups taking part, along with tens of thousands of pilgrims. The number 108 is a sacred number in Buddhism.
Why does it have three faces?
The statue has three aspects. One faces inland, and the other two face the South China Sea. They are meant to show Guanyin's blessing and protection of China and of the whole world. In the first aspect she holds a sutra, a Buddhist scripture, in her left hand and raises her right hand in a teaching gesture. In the second her palms are crossed and she holds a string of prayer beads. In the third she holds a lotus flower.
Who came to the ceremony?
On the day the statue was enshrined, monks arrived from Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macao and mainland China. The group included monks from the Theravada and Vajrayana traditions as well as other Buddhist schools. The statue ranks among the tallest in the world. Pilgrims and visitors come to Nanshan Temple to see the statue beside the sea. The statue stands on the Nanshan Temple grounds of Sanya, on Hainan island.
Fun facts
- The statue is 108 m tall including its base.
- It has three faces, one toward the land and two toward the sea.
- 108 monks took part in the ceremony in 2005.
- It took six years to build.
On the globe
The model shows a white three-faced Guanyin standing on a small island facing the sea. Look for the three faces pointing different ways.
Quiz time
Which is taller: Guanyin of the South Sea of Sanya or Hang Sơn Đoòng?
Show the answer
Hang Sơn Đoòng. (108 m vs 200 m) Hang Sơn Đoòng →
Nearby on the globe
Sources
Updated: 2026-10-14