|
 Jade
Buddha Temple, the most
famous Buddhist temple
in Shanghai, is located
in west part of the
city. In 1882, a monk
named Huigen left two of
five jade Buddha statues
brought from Burma in
Shanghai and built a
temple there to keep
them. In 1918, the old
temple was burned down
and a new one was built
in present site and
named Jade Buddha
Temple.
Still inhabited by
monks, the temple
consists of three main
halls and two
courtyards.
The first hall is
Tianwang Dian Hall where
statues of the four
celestial kings and
Maitreya are enshrined.
It was said that the
Maitreya in fact is the
Budai Monk. In 916,
before his death, he had
told people that he was
the reincarnation of the
future Buddha Maitreya.
Later, people called him
Buddha Maitreya and
began to worship him in
temples.
The second hall is
Daxiong Baodian. Three
large gilded Buddha
statues: the Buddhas of
the past (Bhaisajya-guru),
present (Sakyamuni) and
future (Maitreya) are
kept in the hall. The
one in center is
Sakyamuni, east of it is
Bhaisajya-guru and west
Maitreya. 18 gilded
Luohan statues stand
around them.
After visiting the
Daxiong Baodian, people
reach Jade Buddha Tower.
A jade Buddha, which is
1.9m tall and 1.34m
wide, stands on the
second floor. Inlaid
with diamonds and
agates, the jade Buddha
is sitting leisurely at
the moment of his
enlightenment. And in a
hall on the western part
of the temple grounds
lies a 96-cm-long
recumbent jade Buddha.
Both these two Buddha
statues were carved out
of a single piece of
white jade.
Besides, Buddhist
sculptures and classics
are housed in the
temple. |
