Shanghai Religious Culture

Shanghai Religious Culture

Jade Buddha Temple Add:　170 Anyuan Rd. Tel:　+86 21 62663668 Opening:　8:00-16:30 Website:　www.yufotemple.com

The Jade Buddha Temple is a Buddhist temple in Shanghai. As with most modern Chinese Buddhist temples, the current temple draws from both the Pure Land and Chan traditions of Mahayana Buddhism. It was founded in 1882 with two jade Buddha statues imported to Shanghai from Burma by sea. These were a sitting Buddha (1.95 metres tall, 3 tonnes ), and a smaller reclining Buddha representing Buddha's death. The temple now also contains a much larger reclining Buddha made of marble, donated from Singapore, and visitors may mistake this larger sculpture for the original, smaller piece. During the rule of emperor Guang Xu in the Qing Dynasty (1875-1908), Hui Gen, an abbot from Mount Putuo went on a pilgrimage to Tibet via the two famous Chinese mountains Mount Wutai and Mount Emei. After Tibet, he arrived in Burma. Whilst there, Mr. Chen Jun-Pu, an overseas Chinese resident in Burma, donated five Jade statues of Buddha to Hui Gen, who transported two of them back to Jiang-wan, Shanghai. Here Hui Gen had a temple built with donated funds, and died shortly thereafter. This temple was occupied during the 1911 uprising, and the statues were moved to Maigen Rd.. An Abbot by the name of Ke Chen later had a new temple built on land donated by a Mr. Shen. The construction took ten years, and lasted from 1918-1928. Ke Chen also invited Reverend Di Xian from Tian Tai mountain to come and lecture on Buddhism in a magnificent ceremony. In 1956, a ceremony was held at the temple by the Shanghai Buddhist Association to celebrate the 2500th anniversary of Gautama Buddha's enlightenment. In 1966, during the Cultural Revolution, the monks made a living by selling handicrafts. In 1983, Shanghai Institute of Buddhism was established at the temple under the Shanghai Buddhist Association. In 1985, Monk Zhizhi Xuan and others made a trip to Dunhuang via Xinjiang. Shortly after their return, regular scripture lectures, meditation and other features of temple life were resumed. The Chamber of Four Heavenly Kings contains the statues of Maitreya, Wei Tuo Bodhisattva and the Four Heavenly Kings, who represent favorable circumstance. The chamber is located on the southern-edge, or 'front' of the temple. Also called the Great Hall, the Grand Hall contains many statues. ● Three Golden Buddhas. The central sculpture is of Gautama Buddha, the left Amitabha and the right Bhaisajyaguru. ● Gods of the Twenty Heavens. The Gods of the Twenty Heavens, covered in gold, line the eastern and western sides of the Grand Hall. ● 18 Arhats. 18 unique golden Arhats stand in two groups of nine. ● Guanyin, Shen Cai and his 53 teachers. A large golden statue of Guanyin stands on at northern entrance to the Great Hall, with Shen Cai at her side and sculptures representing the 53 teachers of his life above. The Jade Buddha Chamber is in the northern section of the temple, on the second floor. A fee of 10 yuan is charged to ascend to it. Some additional Buddhist sculptures are also viewable in the antechamber. The public restaurant is located on level two at the eastern edge of the temple and equipped with its own street entrance. Open daily, it serves a range of noodle dishes for five yuan per bowl, the most popular of which is 'double mushroom noodles'. Other dishes are served at moderate prices. Tickets are sold by color and this ticket is turned in inside the main eating room and your soup is then delivered to your table which you might share with others. Upstairs is a much more upscale restaurant at much higher prices. The temple also contains a private restaurant for the use of monks and temple volunteers, which is at the western edge of the temple complex. There is a visitor services office adjacent to the southern entrance, and a Buddhist library is also on the premises.

Jing'an Temple Add:　1686 Nanjing Rd.(W) Tel:　+86 21 62566366 Public transport:　Jing'an Temple can be reached by taking Shanghai Metro Line 2 to Jing'an Temple station. Opening:　7:30-15:45

Jing'an Temple literally " Temple of Peace and Tranquility") is a Buddhist temple on West Nanjing Rd., in Jing'an District. The first temple was built in 247 AD, at the time of the Kingdom of Wu, during the Three Kingdoms period. Originally located beside Suzhou Creek, it was relocated to its current site in 1216 during the Song Dynasty. The current temple was rebuilt once in the Qing Dynasty. It's most recent renovation was in late 2003.

Longhua Temple Add:　2853 Longhua Rd. Tel:　+86 21 64566085 Opening:　7:00-16:00 “Longhua Bells in the Evening” at the Longhua Temple is the only one left over from the original 8 sceneries of Old

Shanghai. As one of the popular 8 sceneries in old Shanghai at the turn of 20th century, it can compare favorably with the evening bells at the Hanshan Temple in Suzhou. Whenever at midnight, the wonderful bell sounds heard in tranquility make people feel refined and refresh. The Longhua Temple literally "Lustre of the Dragon Temple" is a Buddhist Temple dedicated to the Maitreya Buddha in Shanghai. Although most of the present-day buildings date from later reconstructions, the temple preserves the architectural design of a Song Dynasty monastery of the Buddhist Chan sect . It is the largest, most authentic and complete ancient temple complex in the city of Shanghai. The temple was first build in 242 AD, during the Three Kingdoms Period. According to a legend, Sun Quan, King of the Kingdom of Wu, had obtained Sharira relics, which are cremated remains of the Buddha. To house these precious relics, the king ordered the construction of 13 pagodas. Longhua Pagoda (Longhua Ta), part of the Longhua temple complex, is said to have been one of them. Like the function of the pagoda, the name of the temple also has its origin in a local legend according to which a dragon once appeared on the site. The temple was destroyed by war towards the end of the Tang Dynasty and rebuilt in 977 AD, during the Northern Song Dynasty. (According to another version of the story, as contained in Song and Yuan Dynasty local histories, the temple was first built by the King of Wuyue in the early Song dynasty.) Later in the Song Dynasty, in 1064, it was renamed Kong Xiang Temple, but the original name Longhua Temple was restored in the Ming Dynasty during the reign of the Wanli Emperor. The present architectural design follows the Song Dynasty original. However, whereas the core of the present Longhua Pagoda survives from that period, most buildings in the temple proper were rebuilt during the reigns of the Tongzhi Emperor and the Guangxu Emperor in the Qing Dynasty. A modern restoration of the entire temple complex was carried out in 1954. The temple and monastery were originally surrounded by extensive gardens and orchards. Viewing of the peach blossom in the Longhua gardens was an annual attraction for people in surrounding cities. These gardens have since been entirely absorbed into the neighbouring Longhua Martyrs Cemetery and have been. The Longhua Temple Fair has been held since the Ming Dynasty period on the third day of the third month of the Lunar Calendar, the on which - according to the local legend - the dragons visit the temple to help grant the people's wishes. It coincides with the blossoming of the peach trees in Longhua Park . Since its inception, the fair has been an annual event interrupted only by the Cultural Revolution and the SARS outbreak.

Fazangjiang Temple Add:　271 Ji'an Rd., Luwan District Tel::　+86 21 63114971 Opening:　7:30-16:00 Fazhangjiang Temple, together with other three temples, Jade Buddha Temple, Longhua Temple and Jing'an Temple were called as four famous temples in Shanghai. It was

established by Tiantai ancestor, Xingci Master in 1924. Takes up an area of 0.4 hectares, it took five years to build up. The temple with a tower appearance forms a unique style in all of the temples of Shanghai.

Chenxiang Pavilion Add:　29 Chenxiangge Rd., Huangpu District Tel:　+86 21 63203431 Opening:　7:00-16:30 The temple built in Ming Dynasty. It is typical Bhiksuni nunnery, a key cultural relic under state protection. There are the

Heavenly King Hall, the Grand Hall, and the Chamber of Guanyin (Goddess of Mercy). On the two sides are the Jialan Hall and the memorial hall for high priest Yingci.

Wenmiao (Confucius Temple) Add:　215 Wenmiao Rd. Tel:　+86 21 63779101, 63771815 Opening:　9:00-16:45 Website:　www.confuciantemple.com

It is the only Confucian temple in downtown Shanghai . There is a Setting Fish Free Pond and a lotus pond in the compound.

Confucius Temple and Confucius Square Add:　183 Nadajie St. Tel:　+86 21 59530379 Opening:　8:00-11:30, 13:00-16:00 The temple was first built in the 12th year of Jiadubg's reign in the Southern Song Dynasty, having a history of more than 780

years. Through several times of renovation, rebuilding and extension in the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, it has enjoyed the fame of “No. 1 in the Wu Kingdom”. In the front of the temple are the three archways of “Yanggao”, “Xingxian” and “Yucai”. On the stone balustrades along the archways are carved 72 stone lions. The main hall in the temple is the magnificent Dacheng Hall, in which is placed a statue of Confucius and a complete inscribed volume of the “Analects”. The carved inscriptions in the corridor of tablets are of archaeological value. The Exhibition of Cultural Relics of the Imperial Examinations” vividly demonstrates to visitors the evolution, development and disappearance of the imperial examination system.

Catholic Cathedral on Sheshan Hill Add:　Sheshan Hill, Songjiang District Tel:　+86 21 57651521 Opening:　8:00-16:30 The catholic cathedral, or named the Cathedral of the Holy Virgin in China , a Roman-style architecture built in 1857 on

the top of Sheshan Hill in Songjiang District, It occupies an area of 6,700 sq.m. with a height of 20m, looking magnificent and pompous. It is known as he No 2 cathedral in East Asia. On every festival of the Holy Virgin in May, crowds of believers come in pilgrimage for masses.

Dongjiadu Catholic Church Add:　185 Dongjiadu Rd. Tel:　86-2l-63787214 Opening:　7:00-16:00 It is also named Catholic Church of Savorett. Built in 1853, it was then the first Catholic church in China. IWell preserved

up till today, it is a baroque architecture of the Renaissance period.

Xujiahui Catholic Cathedral Add:　158 Puxi Rd. Tel:　+86 21 64382595 Opening:　Every Saturday afternoon and Sunday First built during the Qing Dynasty (1896), it is a medieval Gothic architecture. The bell tower is 60-m high. The whole

building is constructed with red bricks and framed with granite. On the front wall is a large round window with stained glass. The whole building looks magnificent and sedate with a divine atmosphere. It used to be called No 1 building in Shanghai. It is now the religious center for modate over 2,000 worshippers at one time.

Huai'en Church Add:　375 Shan'xi Rd.(N) Tel:　+86 21 62539394 Opening:　9: 00 hrs on Saturdays and Sundays; 19: 00 hrs on Saturdays and Sundays.

It is a two-story red brick building built in 1910. The main hall has 1,700 seats. In 1955, the spare time theology school in the church was incorporated into China Lingxiu Theology Academy .

Moen Church on Xizang Rd. Add:　316 Xizang Rd.(M) Tel:　+86 21 63225029 Opening:　7:00, 9:00, 14:00, 19:00 on Sundays. The wood-and-brick structure is a Christian church of American-style architecture with a tall bell tower. The auditorium can accommodate 1,000 people.

Jewish Refugee Memorial Hall of Shanghai Add:　62 Changyang Rd. Tel:　+86 21 65126669 Opening:　9:00-16:30 Jewish Refugee Memorial Hall was built in 1927(the year 5688 in Jewish Calendar) and reserved for special use for

Jews in Shanghai. It is also known as the old site of Shanghai Ohel Moishe Synagogue. From the end of 1938 to 1945, over 20,000 Jewish refugees took shelters in places such as Changyang Rd., Huoshan Rd. and Gaoyang Rd. in Hongkou District. A lot of activities were held at the Memorial Hall, which, as a place of worship and gathering by Jewish refugees, maintaining their faith and keeping their morale, enabled the Jews to brace up promptly in the new environment, to set up schools, hospitals, shops, factories, and etc., and to stick to fighting against the fascists by means of various organized activities.

Community Church on Hengshan Rd. Add:　53 Hengshan Rd. Tel:　+86 21 64376576 Opening:　7:30 am and 10:00 am. 19:00 hrs and 21:30 hrs on Sundays.

Located on Hengshan Rd in Xuhui District, the church occupies an area of 7,300 sq.m. with a floor space of 1,372 sq.m. It is a modern Gothic wood-and-brick architecture. It can accommodate 1,400 people and is the largest Christian church in Shanghai.

Xiaotaoyuan Mosque Add:　52 Xiaotaoyuan St., Fuxing Rd.(E) Tel:　+86 21 63775442 Opening:　8:00-19:30 Originally named West Mosque, it is also called Muslim Mosque in West city. It is a four-block Islamic architecture of

west Asia with dome roofs. The prayer hall is built of reinforced concrete structure. Shanghai Islam association is found here.

Orthodox Church Add:　55 Xinle Rd. Built in 1934, the Orthodox Church is a Russian national-styled architecture. The exterior wall is washed with yellow sand and cement. On the walls are sculptured portraits of the Tsar. On top of the building are copper-plated domes of different sizes and in peacock blue.

Baiyunguan Taoist Temple Add:　No.8, Lane 100, Xilinhou Rd., Laoximen Tel:　+86 21 63855366 Opening:　8:00-16:00 Located at Xinlinhou Rd. in Huangpu District, the temple was first built in the 2 nd year of Emperor Tong – zhi of Qing

Dynasty (1863 AD). It is GuanXianZhen School Taoist Temple of Quanzhen Sect with another name Leizu Dian Hal. In the 8 th year of Emperor Guang Xu period, a Taoist monk Xu Zhicheng surveyed the site where Baiyunguan Taoist Temple is now and again collected money to build Leizu Dian Hall. He went to Beijing and had the support from Qing government officials and the abbot of Beijing Baiyunguan Taoist Temple. Under the name “an affiliation to Beijing Baiyunguan Taoist Temple”, he was granted one book of the officially-versioned “Taoist Scripture” of Ming Dynasty. Since Xu Zhicheng was baptized in Beijing Baiyunguan Taoist Temple, Leizu Dian Hall was changed to “ Shanghai Baiyunguan Taoist Temple”.

Qinciyang Hall Taoist Temple Add:　476 Yuanshen Rd., Pudong Tel:　+86 21 58828689 Also named Dongyuexinggong Palace, it is located at Yuanshen Rd. in Pudong New Ares, without confirmed date of construction. It is also said to be named “Jin Si Niang

Hall”. Annals of Shanghai County of Qing Dynasty recorded as follows “It was said to be built in Tang Dynasty. On the beam are some characters reading ‘the construction supervised by the official Qin Shubao.' People were later made believe the story of construction in Tang Dynasty. In the 35 th year of Emperor Qian Long period the magistrate Qing Tai here makes the record at the time of reconstruction”.

Songjiang Mosque Add:　365 Zhongshan Rd., Songjiang Tel:　+86 21 57823684 Chinese Islam was introduced into Shanghai in Yuan Dynasty, a religion practiced by Hui and other minority nationalities. Songjiang Mosque is buit in Yuan Dynasty, it is a well preserved mosque.