Jade Buddha Temple is a Buddhist temple located in the western part of Shanghai, China.
The temple is famous for its two jade Buddha statues, which were brought from Burma in the late 19th century.
It was first built in 1882 to house two jade Buddha statues,one seated and one reclining, which had been transported from Burma by sea. The temple was later destroyed during the revolution that overthrew the Qing Dynasty in 1911,
but was rebuilt in 1928 with the help of donations from local Chinese people.
Today, the temple consists of several buildings,
including the Hall of Heavenly Kings, the Grand Hall, the Hall of the Jade Buddha, and several smaller halls and courtyards.
The most famous attraction of the temple is the two jade Buddha statues, which are housed in the Hall of the Jade Buddha.
The sitting statue stands at about 1.9 meters (6 feet) tall and depicts Sakyamuni Buddha,
while the reclining statue is about 0.96 meters (3.15 feet) long and depicts the Buddha in a peaceful sleeping position.
Both statues are made of white jade and are intricately carved with exquisite details.
In addition to the two jade Buddha statues, the temple also houses other Buddhist relics and artifacts,
including sculptures, frescoes, and scriptures. Visitors can participate in various religious activities such as lighting incense and offering prayers.
It has become a popular tourist destination in Shanghai, attracting both domestic and international visitors
who come to admire the temple’s artistic and cultural treasures, as well as to experience the tranquility and spirituality of Buddhism.
History
During the reign of the Guangxu Emperor (r. 1875–1908) in the Qing dynasty, Huigen,
a Buddhist monk from Mount Putuo, went on a pilgrimage to Tibet via Mount Wutai and Mount Emei.
He visited Burma after leaving Tibet. Whilst there, Chen Jun-Pu,
an overseas Chinese resident in Burma, donated five jade Buddha statues to Huigen,
who transported two of them back to Jiang-wan, Shanghai. Here,
Huigen 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 Road.
A Buddhist monk by the name of Kechen later had a new temple built on land donated by Sheng Xuanhuai,
a senior official in the Qing imperial court.
Sheng’s father and uncle were pious Buddhists.
They built houses with thatched roofs at Yizhou Pond by the Zhuanghuabang River in the northeast of Shanghai.
This can be accounted as the predecessor of the monastery.
The construction took ten years, and lasted from 1918 to 1928.
Kechen also invited Reverend Dixian from Mount Tiantai to come and lecture on Buddhism in a grand ceremony.
