The Big and Small Dongtian scenic spot (大小洞天; Da Xiao Dongtian) is located about 40 km to the west of Sanya city, and 13 km away from Tianya Haijiao. It has a history of more than 800 years and became famous during the Song Dynasty as a place for monks to run to for monks seeking the Truth.
It's said that when the Chinese eminent Buddhist monk Jian Zhen visited Japan for the fifth time, he was struck by a typhoon and floated here where, grateful for being alive, he built the Dayun Temple to spread Buddhism culture.
The current site is encased in a tourism park that includes the beach, the two caves that were once a retreat from civilization and variouos steles and parks that sprung up out of nowhere in the last five years.
The park is often crowded, the entrance fee has skyrocketed and you can not access the caves.
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