普陀山，原名「小白華」，梵稱「普陀洛迦」，又作補陀洛迦、補陁洛伽、補怛洛伽、補陀羅伽，皆梵語翻譯之異文也。山位於浙江定海東南海中，距治東百里許。其山境，東盡青鼓壘，西盡風洞嘴，南盡短姑道頭，北盡伏龍山，周遭屈曲百里。唐以前，傳為梅子真、葛稚川之寄隱；又傳於宣宗大中間，有天竺僧來，卽洞中燔盡十指，親睹觀音，與說妙法，授以七色寶石。自五代梁貞明二年（九一六）建「不肯去院」，而法址始開。自宋神宗元豐三年（一〇八〇）敕建寶陀寺，而香灺始盛。自高宗紹興元年（一一三一），真歇建海岸孤處，易律為禪。厥後歷元明清三代，經各代高僧之經營，梵剎林立，為中國佛教之聖地，與峨眉、五臺、九華，合稱四大名山，素有「海天佛國」之稱，為觀音大士之道場。論其聲望，又遠非他山所能及也。其梵剎主寺有三：普濟禪寺，舊傳為梁不肯去觀音院；法雨禪寺，始於明萬曆八年（一五八〇）麻城僧大智所建之「海潮庵」；慧濟禪寺，始於明僧圓慧所建之「慧濟庵」。其餘精藍近百，庵堂無數，號稱佛國，洵不虛也。記錄普陀者，舊有元龜茲盛熙明撰《補陀洛迦山傳》，今存一卷；明侯繼高始撰山志，惜未通行。至萬曆間，周應賓以《侯志》重山而略於寺，乃為重修，釐為六卷，分為十二門：宸翰、圖考、山水、殿宇、規制、建制、靈異、頒賜、命使、釋子、物產、藝文。宸翰收勑諭四通、御製序文二首，皆萬曆年間明神宗所撰也。體例尚稱嚴謹，搜羅亦頗宏富，有為後志所不及者。是志刋於萬曆間，流通不廣，民國十二年（一九二三）王亨彥修新志時亦不得見。茲據國立中央圖書館代管北平圖書館所藏明萬曆三十五年（一六〇七）太監張隨原刋本景印。
Mount Putuo, originally named "Little White Flower," is known in Sanskrit as "Potalaka," with various transliterations such as Butuoluojia, Butuoluojia, Butaluojia, and Butuoluojia, all derived from Sanskrit. The mountain is located in the sea southeast of Dinghai, Zhejiang, approximately a hundred miles east of the county seat. Its boundaries extend east to Qinggulei, west to Fengdongzui, south to Duangu Daotou, and north to Fulong Mountain, winding around for about a hundred miles.
Before the Tang Dynasty, it was said to be a retreat for Mei Zizhen and Ge Zhichuan. It is also recorded that during the Dazhong era of Emperor Xuanzong, an Indian monk came, burned all ten of his fingers in a cave, personally witnessed Guanyin, received profound teachings, and was bestowed with a seven-colored gemstone. The establishment of the "Unwilling to Leave Monastery" in the second year of the Zhenming era of the Later Liang Dynasty (916) marked the beginning of its religious foundation. In the third year of the Yuanfeng era of Emperor Shenzong of the Song Dynasty (1080), the imperial decree to build Baotuo Temple led to the flourishing of incense offerings. In the first year of the Shaoxing era of Emperor Gaozong (1131), Zhenxie established a solitary coastal retreat, shifting from monastic rules to Chan practice. Subsequently, through the efforts of eminent monks during the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, temples flourished, making it a sacred site of Chinese Buddhism. Together with Mount Emei, Mount Wutai, and Mount Jiuhua, it is known as one of the Four Great Sacred Mountains, often called the "Buddhist Kingdom on the Sea," serving as the sacred site of Guanyin Bodhisattva. In terms of reputation, it far surpasses other mountains.
The three main temples on the mountain are: Puji Chan Temple, traditionally said to be the site of the Liang Dynasty's "Unwilling to Leave Guanyin Monastery"; Fayu Chan Temple, originally built as the "Haichao Nunnery" by the monk Dazhi from Macheng in the eighth year of the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty (1580); and Huiji Chan Temple, initially established as the "Huiji Nunnery" by the Ming Dynasty monk Yuanhui. In addition, there are nearly a hundred other monasteries and countless nunneries, truly deserving the title of "Buddhist Kingdom."
Historical records of Mount Putuo include the *Potalaka Mountain Chronicle* by Sheng Ximing of Kucha during the Yuan Dynasty, which survives in one volume. During the Ming Dynasty, Hou Jigao compiled the first mountain chronicle, but it was not widely circulated. By the Wanli era, Zhou Yingbin revised it because Hou's version focused more on the mountain and less on the temples. Zhou's revised version, divided into six volumes and twelve sections, includes Imperial Edicts, Illustrations, Landscapes, Temples, Regulations, Constructions, Miracles, Imperial Gifts, Envoys, Monks, Local Products, and Literary Works. The Imperial Edicts section contains four decrees and two imperial prefaces, all written by Emperor Shenzong of the Ming Dynasty during the Wanli era. The compilation is rigorous and comprehensive, with some content not found in later chronicles. This chronicle was printed during the Wanli era but was not widely circulated. When Wang Hengyan compiled a new chronicle in the twelfth year of the Republic of China (1923), he was unable to access it. The current version is a facsimile of the original print from the thirty-fifth year of the Wanli era (1607), commissioned by the eunuch Zhang Sui, held by the National Central Library on behalf of the Beiping Library.