Located in Shanghai, China the Jade Buddha Temple is a world famous Buddhist temple founded in 1882. The temple is named for the two jade statues of the Buddha it was built to house. The larger of the two statues is nearly two metres tall and weighs around three tonnes. It depicts the Buddha in a seated position. The other, slightly smaller statue depicts a reclining Buddha and is thought to symbolise death. A third statue, also depicting a reclining Buddha, made entirely out of marble was recently donated to the temple by the government of Singapore.
The Jade Buddha Temple is a stunning example of traditional Chinese architecture and is a popular cultural attraction in Shanghai. It was established in the Qing era during the period of Emperor Guang Xu’s rule. At the time an abbot by the name of Hui Gen set off on a pilgrimage to Tibet. From Tibet he went to Burma where a Chinese resident by the name of Chen Jun Pu presented him with five statues of the Buddha carved out of jade. Hui Gen shipped two of those statues to Shanghai where a temple was built to house them.
The statues are housed in the Jade Buddha Chamber which is on the second floor. One has to pay a fee to enter the room. Other temple highlights consist of the Grand Hall which contains numerous statues including the Three Golden Buddhas, the Eighteen Arhats, Gods of the Twenty Heavens, and a statue of Guanyin alongside a statue of Shen Cai surrounded by his fifty three teachers; and the Chamber of Four Heavenly Kings. The temple is readily accessible by bus and subway and is a popular tourist attraction in the city.
Shanghai is a highly modernised city found in East China. Over the past decades it has evolved into a hub for commerce and tourism. Tourists planning on visiting the Chinese city for longer periods of time should consider getting a hotel apartment Shanghai. The Citadines Biyun Shanghai offers terrific service apartment Shanghai that combines the comforts of a hotel with the intimacy of a home. Located amidst the city’s best restaurants and shopping locations, it is the ideal place to stay.
Thanuja Silva is a travel writer who writes under the pen name Auburn Silver. She has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world.