Jade Buddha Temple

Situated in the north of Shanghai, Jade Buddha Temple was first built in 1882 but got its name in 1918. With Longhua Temple and Jing’an Temple, and as one of the three famed Buddha temples of Shanghai, Jade Buddha Temple is well-known for serving two crystal-clear Buddha statues, which is carved by a whole white jade and imported from Burma by the abbot named Huigen. Though it’s one of the top 10 Shanghai highlights and top things to do in Shanghai, it still keeps its own peaceful and venerable place from a busy and metropolitan city, attracting numerous devotees and visitors every year.

The original temple was destroyed during Xinhai Revolution in 1918. Luckily, the jade Buddha statues had been saved, so the successive monks rebuilt the temple at the present site and named it Jade Buddha Temple. After decades of careful management, it had become a magnificent and well-structured temple complex modeled after the song dynasty, with a large collection of cultural relics and Buddhist scriptures. In 1942, the abbot Yuanchen set up Shanghai Buddhist University in the temple. After the funding of People's Republic of China, the government carried out fund allocation for maintenance for many times. Now Shanghai Jade Buddha Temple presents himself to the public with a new look and a richer connotation.

More than 70 monks hold daily services. On every first and fifteenth of Chinese lunar calendar or other Buddhist festival, devotees and pilgrims will come to burn incense and pray for good luck and peace. If you visit it during your Shanghai trip at the right time, you will have chance to see some sacrifices and Buddhist activities. What a shocking scene!

Shanghai Jade Buddha Temple Facts

History of Shanghai Jade Buddha Temple: How It Was Built

The temple was built in 1882, the eighth year of the Qing Guangxu reign. At that time, an old monk from Putuo Mountain named Huigen emulated the spirit of Venerable Xuanzang of the Tang Dynasty who traveled westward to obtain scriptures and entered Tibet via Wutai Mountain and Emei Mountain, and then traveled to Myanmar. In Burma, Venerable Huigen was given five white jade statues of Sakyamuni Buddha, which were donated by Burmese Buddhist followers and local Chinese. On his way back to China via Shanghai, Venerable Huigen left behind a seated Buddha and a reclining Buddha.

Initially these two jade Buddhas were enshrined in the Jade Buddha Temple in Jiangwan, however, due to the war, the temple was destroyed, but the jade Buddhas remained unharmed. A Buddhist monk named Kosei later raised land at the current site and rebuilt the temple in the style of a Song Dynasty palace, which was completed in 1918.

Although the Jade Buddha Temple has a history of no more than a hundred years since 1882, it is renowned worldwide for its precious jade Buddha and magnificent temple architecture.

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Highlights & What to See

Jade Buddha complex has an exceedingly short history, having been completed in 1918, but it exudes a powerful potion of thick incense, flashy decorations, and a dark, seedy atmosphere that makes it seem centuries older. The architectural style comes from the Song Dynasty (A.D. 960-1279), when swirling eaves were the style; the brilliant yellow walls are of recent origin. The central axis is lined with three halls: the Heavenly King Hall, the Great Buddha Hall and the Jade Buddha Tower. On the east and west sides, there are the Guanyin Hall, the Copper Buddha Hall, the Relying Buddha Hall, the Huaien Hall, the Chan Hall and the Dining Hall.

Da Xiong Bao Dian

Its exterior is a two-story palace building of song style, which is sedate and solemn. The Treasure Hall of the Great Hero (Da Xiong Bao Dian) contains golden images of the Buddha Shakyamuni, companying with Amitabha Buddha and Medicine Guru Buddha flanked by their 18 Buddha Arhats.

Yu Fo Lou (Jade Buddha House)

The White Jade Buddha, located up a narrow old stairs on the second floor of Wentang Hall, is the true treasure. A seated Buddha is 1.95 meters tall, carving by a complete white jade, it is twice life-size (weighing 205kg / 455 lb. and measuring 2m / 6 ft. 7 in. tall in seated position). In another special pavilion there is a recumbent Buddha, also carved from a single slab of Burmese jade and brought to Shanghai by abbot Huigen.

Guanyin Hall

Between the Heavenly King Hall and the Great Buddha Hall, there is a bronze statue of Guanyin from the Ming Dynasty, with a wooden carving of Guanyin with a thousand hands behind it.

Medicine Buddha Hall

Inside the hall is enshrined the Medicine Buddha, the master of the Pure Crystal World in the East. Liuli, as one of the "Seven Treasures" in Buddhism, is a sky-blue semi-transparent gemstone, not the commonly believed colored crystal glass.

Puxian Hall

The deity enshrined is Bodhisattva Samantabhadra, one of the Three Sages of Huayan. Beside the Bodhisattva Samantabhadra Hall, a scene of a sea of vows is created by arranging ten rows of alternating gravel and pile slopes, depicting the "Ten Great Vows" of Bodhisattva Samantabhadra.

Dizang Hall

In the Dizang Hall of Shanghai Jade Buddha Temple, one of the four Great Bodhisattvas in Buddhism, the Bodhisattva of Great Vow Dizang, is enshrined.

Reclining Buddha Hall

The Reclining Buddha is the Buddha Shakyamuni lying on his side, depicting the scene of the Buddha's Nirvana over 2,500 years ago. There are two reclining Buddhas, one large and one small. 

The small reclining Buddha was brought back from Myanmar by Venerable Huigen, the first abbot of Jade Buddha Temple, in 1899. The Buddha statue is 96 centimeters long and is carved from a single piece of Burmese jade. Its right arm is bent and resting on the pillow, while the left hand is gently placed on the leg. This is called the "auspicious lying position". 
The big reclining Buddha was brought back from Singapore by Master Zhenchan, the 10th abbot of Jade Buddha Temple. The Buddha statue is 4 meters long and is carved from a single piece of white marble.

Hall of Sangharama Palace

It is the place where monks live.

Guest Hall

It is the registration and arrangement place for religious activities such as Dharma assemblies, Buddhist ceremonies, taking refuge in the Three Refuges and the Five Precepts, releasing living beings, printing scriptures, and offering alms. The Buddha statues and memorial tablets offered by believers are placed here.

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Buddhist Treasure Inside the Jade Buddha Temple Shanghai

The Qianlong Edition of the Tripitaka

In the Jade Buddha Tower, there are precious collections of the Qianlong edition of the Tripitaka, consisting of 178 volumes, over 1,662 pieces and 7,168 volumes. There are also photocopies of the Song Dynasty's "Qisha Tripitaka" and "Panga Tripitaka" from the Republic of China period, as well as Japan's "Taisho Tripitaka", "Continuation Tripitaka" and "Tibetan Tripitaka", etc. All are extremely precious Buddhist classics.

Bronze Buddha statues from the Northern Wei Dynasty

It is a standing statue of Sakyamuni Buddha made in the 15th year of Taihe of the Northern Wei Dynasty (491 AD). The upper body of the Buddha statue leans slightly forward, with a high bun and conical hair. Its face is serene and kind. The right hand makes the Fearless gesture, and the left hand makes the vow gesture. Behind the Buddha is a flame-patterned back screen with three relief sitting Buddha statues on it.

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What to Do?

1. Savor Buddhist culture. This holy land of Buddhism in Shanghai is flourishing all the year round, and it is also a place of Buddhist University. The Buddhist culture is very strong, and it is the best place to study Chinese Buddhist culture.

2. Pray peace and good luck for you and families. It is said that the bless and protection of Buddha and Bodhisattva here is very effective, not only believers come to worship; many citizens will come here to pray as well. You can have a try with devout heart.

3. Experience a vegetarian meal. The Shanghai Jade Buddha Temple runs a vegetarian restaurant whose menu boasts so-called 'meat' dishes made from vegetarian ingredients such as pickled duck, sliced eel and chicken, all made of bean curd and vegetables. Sizzling (Crackling) rice and mushroom soup is strongly recommended.

4. The establishment of the Buddhist Objects Department at Shanghai Jade Buddha Temple not only meets the needs of believers to purchase religious supplies but also serves as a way to enhance the temple's self-sustaining economic capacity. In addition to Buddhist scriptures and treatises, the Dharma Goods Distribution Center of Shanghai Jade Buddha Temple also houses a wide range of Buddhist handicrafts, such as crystal hand beads, porcelain Buddha statues, bronze and jade carvings, various wood carvings, and handcrafted calligraphy and paintings.

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How to Get to Shanghai Jade Buddha Temple?

You can take Metro Line 7 and get off at Chongshou Station or Line 13, getting off at Jiangning Road Station, after a short walk, you can reach Jade Buddha Temple.

If you take bus, Bus 19, 206, 316, 738 will take you to Jiangning Road Anyuan Road Station. Besides, sightseeing bus of green line can take you to the destination directly.

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