Buddhist monks said the bizarre object hovered above their temple and changed shapes from flying saucer to an apple, and even a Buddha.
They claimed it even flew inside the hall of one of their temples for about 10 seconds on Friday, setting off a burglar alarm.
Footage shows the figure hovering in and out of view then rotating quickly before darting off.
The monks are perplexed by the event that happened during a downpour.
Father Shi Xingkong said: "When I heard the alarm, I got up to turn it off before going outside to check and didn't see anything unusual.
"It was only when I looked on the monitor that I could see the UFO."
When I heard the alarm, I got up to turn it off before going outside to check and didn't see anything unusual. It was only when I looked on the monitor that I could see the UFO.
Chen Songzheng, a member of staff at the temple, said if it had not ventured inside and set the alarm system, they may never have known of the odd visitation.
Sceptics suggest tricksters used a drone or remote controlled toy to cruelly shock the monks.
Other online commentators have come up with ball lightening as an explanation.
Ball lighting is a sphere of electricity that can fork during a thunderstorm.
But an anonymous meteorological expert said ball lightning only lasts a very short period of time, not the seven minutes it was spotted on camera.
But he did think it may have been that an insect had come too close to the camera.
However, other online viewers claimed it must be an alien visitation using surveillance craft to check out the religious site.
WATCH THE VIDEO:
By Jon Austin, The Daily And Sunday Express