Friday, April 26, 2013

Shànghǎi: Jade Buddha Temple

13th April 2013.

We met our tour manager Ahwen and the rest of our group of 36, who have all come from USA – we are the only Australians.  Off we all set to visit the Jade Buddha Temple, Shànghǎi’s largest working Buddhist monastery.

 

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While the temple was founded in 1882, this building was constructed in 1918-1928 to house a jade Buddha from Burma.

 

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The courtyard was filled with locals burning incense and praying for good luck.

 

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The Grand Hall contained three magnificent golden Buddhas.

 

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In the Grand Hall there were also the Gods of the Twenty Heavens and 18 Arhats.  Quite a busy place.

 

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Also in the Grand Hall was Guanyin, a mother-goddess and patron of mothers and seamen.  Ahwen told us that when Buddhism came to China, some female goddesses were introduced to encourage more women to embrace Buddhism. 

In one hand, Guanyin holds a jar containing pure water, and in the other a willow branch (for some reason).

 

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Guanyin, whose name means "Observing the Sounds (or Cries) of the World", is considered the personification of compassion and kindness.

Here, she is depicted as standing on either a turtle or a dragon (I forget which) to prevent it from doing any harm.

 

Picture from http://www.mir.com.my/leofoo/Thai-amulets/Buddhist_Landmarks/China/YUFOSI/yufo_B.jpg

The Jade Buddha itself was on the second floor of another building, in a room by itself.  The statue was smaller than those in the Grand Hall, and the jade was a delicate pale green.  Photography wasn’t permitted in the Jade Buddha Chamber, so these are pictures I found on the internet.  The picture above doesn’t represent the colour very well.

 

Picture from http://www.topchinatravel.com/pic/city/shanghai/attractions/Jade-Buddha-Temple-5.jpg

This picture gives a better representation of the colour.

After the gold and scarlet magnificence of the crowded Grand Hall, the simplicity, purity and serenity of the Jade Buddha caused an unexpected hush to fall over the crowd of tourists filing past. 

Definitely a highlight.

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