Some say one visit a year to Mount Putuo is enough, but I think you only truly know this island once you've seen it in spring, summer, fall and winter.

March and April are the best months for flower viewing on Mount Putuo.

Forget the crowds—there's nothing but the gentle romance of spring blossoms.

Pink and white cherry blossoms weigh down the branches, and standing beneath the trees surrounded by soft pink hues, you feel layers of natural beauty.

Every step feels like walking through the tenderness of spring.

The real buzz happens at the Guanyin Incense Festival on the 19th day of the second lunar month.

I have to warn you:

if you plan to visit Mount Putuo on Guanyin's birthday, be prepared.

Puji Temple gets so packed there isn't even room to place an incense stick.

But if you can handle the crowds,

you'll witness something truly awe-inspiring.

By 3 or 4 AM, pilgrims are already prostrating every three steps on their way up Foding Mountain.

That kind of faith

will literally give you goosebumps.

Summer on Mount Putuo is genuinely cool.

The beaches at Qianbu Beach and Baibu Beach

open in mid-July.

Honestly,

the water here

isn't crystal-clear blue—it's a bit murky—and the sand

isn't as fine as Sanya's.

But finding a beach where you can splash in the waves

this close to the city

is satisfying enough.

Haiyin Pool in front of Puji Temple,

also known as Lotus Pool,

is stunning in summer.

In late July

and early August,

the pool fills with blooming lotus flowers

in beautiful shades of pink and white.

"Lotus Pool Under the Moon"

is one of the Twelve Scenes of Mount Putuo,

but catching it perfectly takes the right timing, location and luck.

Fall is the best season to visit Mount Putuo.

The summer crowds fade away,

visitors thin out,

and a peaceful calm settles over everything.

The mountain forests take on a light autumn tint

while staying lush and green.

Leaves sway gently in the breeze,

creating a fresh, elegant scene.

Ancient temples with red walls hide among the trees,

and upturned eaves stand quietly against the hills,

radiating a deep Zen atmosphere.

Walking along the bluestone paths,

the forest is serene and fragrant,

far from the noise of the world.

Climb Foding Mountain for sweeping views

where mountains meet the sea under endless skies—a vast, healing landscape.

Inside the ancient temples, it's quiet and peaceful,

incense smoke curling upward,

your mind settling into calm.

Stroll leisurely

and take in the unique poetic tranquility of autumn on this island,

savoring these unhurried moments

far from the chaos.

Winter on Mount Putuo is quiet

and full of surprises.

You might catch a heavy snowfall,

or you might just see