When in Putuo Mountain, do as the Putuo pilgrims do. It's 4 a.m. The Putuo Mountain is still fast asleep. It's quiet, except for the soft swish of the tide running up the beach and the low chirps from the grass; it's dark, except for the sea lights afar and the dim street lights leading all the way to Fayu Temple near the 1,000-step beach.

But for the Putuo pilgrims, the day has already begun.

Most visitors to Putuo Mountain come to see its three famous shrines, Fayu, Huiji and Puji temples. These make Putuo Mountain one of China's four Buddhist sanctuaries. It is also one of the most charming places in east China, with endless vistas of blue sea, sandy beaches and green hills dotted with ancient monasteries.

Inside the main hall at Fayu Temple, monks are preparing for the morning service, and the pilgrims don black robes (available in most tailor shops in the island town) for what promises to be a sacred occasion.

Joss sticks are burned, candles are lit, and the food and flowers that the pilgrims have brought - some from thousands of miles away - are presented before the Buddha statue. Monks in robes walk inside the temple and stand in rows on one side of the Buddha statue. Pilgrims follow them in and stand on the other side.

At the conclusion of a series of low, fast drum beats, the master wearing a red robe enters and the one-hour morning service begins.

Religious scriptures are chanted one after another, or over and over again - it is difficult for the layman to discern the difference between the chapters punctuated by different tones and rhythms. When the "wooden fish" - a percussion instrument peculiar to Buddhism - is beaten faster, the rhythm speeds up and the tone becomes higher.

Drum beats are occasionally heard during the chant, and they seem to govern changes in tone and rhythm.

The master officiates during the ceremony. He kneels to pray to worship the Buddha, and the monks and pilgrims follow. When he stands, so do the followers, all the while continuing their chants. The temple is filled with the soft, low murmur of their prayers.

I feel as if my heart is purified, and my mind cleared of everything expect the constant chanted word for the Buddha - "Nembutsu, Nembutsu, Nembutsu."

As the ceremony draws to a close, the master stands, walks clockwise around his prayer mat in front of the Buddha three times. Then he leads the monks and pilgrims along the inside of the great hall walking clockwise along the walls. The faithful never cease praying - "Nembutsu."

The pious walk finally ends in the square in front of the hall, where late-coming pilgrims join in. No senior monk conducts the ceremony, but it proceeds in good order, making it yet more sacred to participants and visitors.

It's now 5 a.m. and day is beginning to break. The sun rises from the surface of the calm sea beside the temple - which, since it has yet to draw its daily crowd of visitors, offers an excellent opportunity to explore.

Fayu Temple was built in 1580, during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). At that time it was known as the Haichao Temple. But wars led to its destruction, and it was rebuilt in 1699, during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) when it took its current name. It has about 200 halls and rooms, built in accordance with the mountain's slope across six levels.

One of the temple's highlights is the "Jiu Long Bi," or "Nine Dragons Wall." It is said that the wall was brought here from its original location in Nanjing in 1697.

The temple draws visitors of a tranquil bent - the huge camphor trees, more than three centuries old, are homes to scores of birds, whose songs mingle with the gentle tides from the nearby beach; fish swim in the small temple ponds; and smoke curls upward from huge incense burners. It is hard to tear oneself away.

The moment the morning service is over, breakfast is served - it's vegetarian, like most of the food at Putuo Mountain's temples - and costs 0.5 yuan (6 U.S. cents) per person. It consists of a dish of preserved vegetables, a large bowl of congee, and "man tou," or steamed bread.

A shuttle bus departing from the parking lot near Fayu Temple takes visitors to a cable car which runs up the mountain to Huiji Temple.

The way to this temple is somewhat mysterious: visitors must travel down a narrow, dark and damp passageway, then down several steps to a more open, bright lane, and then take a right turn to the front gate.

Huiji Temple, also known as Fuoding Temple, is on the summit of Putuo Mountain. During the Ming Dynasty it was a pavilion with a Buddha statue inside. Later it was converted to a small temple. It was expanded twice - in 1793 and 1907 - to its present size.

The temple is famous for the tea that grows on the slopes around it. Locals call it "Buddhist tea."

Huiji Temple's vegetarian restaurant is perhaps the most famous among the temples. A 5-yuan meal includes two dishes, soup and rice. The fried green beans with beancurd chips and mushrooms is a mouthwatering dish, and the stewed potato in soy sauce is maybe the best I've tasted.

On the wall of the restaurant are traditional antithetical couplets including "Every grain of rice comes from the hardwork of the farmers," and "All the food is a blessing from Buddha." The slogan between the two reads: "Do not waste the food."

The stone-paved Xiangyun Road links this temple with the backdoor of Fayu Temple, via a walk down the mountain that takes about half an hour. The path provides spectacular views, with caves and small Buddha statues lining the way that are seldom mentioned in guide books but are frequently visited by local pilgrims, who leave joss sticks and candles before them. It's a tough walk, however, and will test the resilience of your legs.

Puji Temple, the third of the three, is located in the built-up area surrounding the island's port- next to the bazaar. It was built in 1080, and expanded in 1699 when it was given its current name.

Putuo Mountain is the center of the sect of Guanyin, Goddess of Mercy, and Puji is her major shrine. The vegetarian dinner at Puji costs 2.5 yuan for acceptable fare.

Putuo Mountain has been attracting Buddhist pilgrims from all over Northeast Asia for at least 1,000 years. Most pilgrims carry yellow silk Buddhist bags and collect a special stamp from each temple.

To devout travelers, there is no better souvenir than this special collection of stamps from each of the temples on the mountain. In their heyday, there were more than 200 temples; now, merely 20 remain.

Admissions: 60 yuan per person to visit Putuo Mountain, and 5 yuan to entering each temple.

How to get there:

harf take you to the fast boats departing from the Luchaogang Harbor. One leaves at 8:15 a.m. and arrives at Putuo Mountain at 12:15 p.m., the other leaves at 10:50 a.m. and arrives at 3:15 p.m.

Tickets: 158-185 yuan.

l A night boat departs from Shiliupu at 6 p.m. everyday, and arrives at Putuo Mountain at 8:30 a.m. the next morning.

Tickets: 47-387 yuan.

l Long-distance buses leave from Xujiahui Long Distance Bus Station. The bus ride is about six hours. Buses leave at 7:20 a.m., 8:20 a.m., 9:20 a.m., 1:40 p.m., 3:10 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Where to stay:

There are many hotels in the downtown areas near Puji Temple, and along the beaches close to Fayu. Travelers can also stay at the temple, at a cost of five to 10 yuan per bed, per night.

(Eastday.com.cn 06/30/2001)