Haitan Deity, located off the southern coast of Haitan Island in Pingtan, Fujian province, is a gigantic rock shaped like a man lying on a beach. Owing to its strange shape, locals have dubbed it one of Pingtan's two geological landmarks. The other one is Shipaiyang.

The Haitan Deity is 330 meters in length and 150 meters in width. From its lower part sticks out a column-shaped rock, about four meters in height with a circumference of around 4.5 meters, which local residents call the "Deity Stone". According to local folklore, any fisherman’s wife who is struggling to conceive will give birth to a baby boy if they touch the rock.

According to local legend, the Haitan Deity was formed tens of millions of years ago, when the Jade Emperor sent a troop of celestial soldiers to arrest Sun Wukong (the Monkey King). When the troop arrived at Haitan Island, one celestial soldier was so attracted by the island’s beautiful sea views that he decided to lie down on the beach to rest for a while. Over time, he gradually merged with the beach and finally became the guardian of the sea.

Haitan Deity, one of the geological landmarks of Pingtan, Fujian province, is a gigantic rock shaped like a man lying on a beach. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]