Guanyin at the Nanshan Sea in Sanya In 1993, the Religious Affairs Bureau of the State Council, China and the Hainan People's Government approved the construction of Nanshan Temple, and a 18-meter-high statue of Guanyin was sculpted in the sea in front of the temple. This statue was built by the Nanhai Guanyin Merit Foundation in Sanya, Hainan, and it is the highest statue in the world. Jingzao Project is known as a "world-class, century-class" Buddhist project because of its grand scale, unique significance and rich Buddhist knowledge. Zhao Puchu, President of the Chinese Buddhist Association, gladly inscribed the icon-"Guanyin on the South China Sea". In 1999, on September 19th of the lunar calendar, Nanshan held a grand ceremony for the construction of the "Goddess of Mercy at Sea in Nanshan". The project lasted for 6 years and was completed on April 15th, 25. A grand opening ceremony was held on April 24th, 25 (March 16th of the lunar calendar, the birthday of Zhunti Bodhisattva).