Xiaoputuo (Dali, Yunnan Province, 4A)

Located in Erhai Lake, Xiaoputuo Island is a "miniature island." Although small, Xiaoputuo Island is well-known and often featured in brochures introducing Dali. The island is only 200 meters in circumference and is made entirely of limestone. Xiaoputuo Island is shaped like a round seal, so it is also called "Sea Seal." Legend has it that there are many dragons in Erhai Lake that often cause storms, and this reef is the seal used by Guanyin Bodhisattva to subdue the dragons. During the reign of Emperor Chongzhen of the Ming Dynasty, local fishermen donated money to build a two-story pavilion with a gabled roof on Xiaoputuo Island, where a statue of Guanyin Bodhisattva was enshrined, so the locals called it Guanyin Pavilion. Although Xiaoputuo Island is small, its unique geographical location and rich historical and cultural background attract many visitors.