Nov 7 was the nineteenth day of the ninth month in Chinese lunar calendar, which is believed to be the day when Guanyin, the Buddhist goddess of mercy, attained nirvana in China.

To celebrate the day, numerous people traveled to Kaiyuan Temple, an ancient building constructed during the Liang dynasty (420-589) in Fuzhou, provincial capital of Southeast China's Fujian province, to burn incenses and pray for blessings.

They were also treated to a vegetarian banquet hosted by the temple.

People who visited Kaiyuan Temple in Fuzhou on Tuesday are treated to a vegetarian banquet. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

People toast one another at the vegetarian banquet hosted at Kaiyuan Temple in Fuzhou on Tuesday. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]