Jade Buddha Temple in Shanghai
Jade Buddha Temple (or as it is more commonly called in China, Yuifosa Temple) is the abode of 70 monks in northwest Shanghai, as well as one of the most popular tourist destinations. The building is not difficult to recognize – it is distinguished by the brightness and richness of the yellow color of the walls. The impressive architecture and unique shrines will not leave any guest indifferent.
History
The most common date of the Jade Buddha Temple’s foundation is 1882, when the monk Huigen brought back from a pilgrimage five statues of Buddha, carved from stone of marvelous quality, given to him in Burma. The holy man decided to leave two of them in Shanghai, and so the temple was built – as a place to store the sculptures and worship them.
In 1911, during the revolution, the complex was completely destroyed, so that the current buildings are just a “reproduction”, which was erected over 10 years – from 1918 to 1928 – at the expense of donations from believers. It should be noted that the builders strictly followed all the traditional techniques of classical Chinese architecture, so that connoisseurs can fully enjoy the authentic decoration of the Temple of the Jade Buddha.
.Since 1983, the Shanghai Institute of Buddhism has been open at the shrine, organizing and conducting all kinds of lectures and seminars to teach people about the tenets of the religion.
.Video: Jade Buddha Temple
Description of Jade Buddha Temple
The Hall of Heavenly Lords, four Buddhist deities who guard the different sides of the world, welcomes guests. In the center of the hall is a smiling statue of Buddha Maitreya – the Teacher of all people, equally revered by different streams of the great eastern religion. Also in this hall are statues of the Great Lords and their 32 servant-generals.
.Passing through the picturesque courtyard with a pond, you will find yourself at the Hall of the Great Sage, replete with sculptures of Buddhist deities. The sculpture of Siddhartha Gautama, the lifetime incarnation of the Great Buddha, stands out in pomp and grandeur against the background of others.
.The Hall of the Lying Buddha houses a 96-centimeter jade sculpture depicting the sage in a state of nirvana. It is one of two statues once brought from Burma. The statue is richly adorned with exquisite gemstones that have been voluntarily donated by worshippers from around the world.
.Notably, the original Lying Buddha is often confused with a four-meter tall copy made of marble and donated to the temple in 1989 by a Buddhist follower from Singapore.Nearby is the Hall of Art, which displays all sorts of distinctive masterpieces by Buddhist masters.
.The heart of the temple is a two-story structure called the Jade Buddha House, a fine example of Sun Dynasty architecture. It is easy to guess that this is where the main value of the Yuifosa Temple is located – the Jade Buddha statue made of magnificent solid stone. The relic is located on the second floor, the interiors of which are characterized by luxurious decoration. The Jade Buddha statue is one of the largest of its kind: its height is about 2 meters and its weight is almost 1000 kg.
.On the territory of the temple there are the Sutra Reading Hall (a room for studying the basic texts of Buddhism), the Hall of Inner Contemplation (a room for meditation), living cells of monks. There is also a small restaurant where you can enjoy traditional Buddhist cuisine and delicious tea.
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Tourists should know that as a sign of respect for the main shrine of the temple – the Jade Buddha Statue – it is strictly forbidden to photograph it. But everyone can tie a red ribbon on the tree in the garden of the temple. It is believed that Buddha hears all our wishes and will definitely fulfill them: each such ribbon is someone’s wish, already fulfilled or waiting for its turn.
.How to get there
Jade Buddha Temple is located at 170 Anyuan Road, Putuo District, Shanghai. You can reach it by subway (Changshou Road station), but you will have to arm yourself with a map and walk through the colorful streets of the city for about 15-20 minutes. An alternative option is a cab, which is relatively inexpensive in Shanghai.
.The temple’s doors are open to tourists daily from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, excluding major holidays when the monks seclude themselves to perform traditional religious rituals. The cost of a visit is 20 yuan (about 240 rubles), but for a tour of the Jade Buddha House you will have to pay an additional 10 yuan separately.
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To entertain tourists in the temple Yuifosa organized a variety of festive events, theatrical performances, exhibitions, the schedule of which can be found on the official website of the attraction: http://www.yufotemple.com.
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