Shanghai Days: Longhua Temple

The Longhua Temple is the oldest, largest, most active and authentic Buddhist Temple in Shanghai dedicated to the Maitreya Buddha. It was first built in 242 AD which just boggles my mind. It was later destroyed and rebuilt in 977 AD, and given a modern restoration in the 1950s still preserving it's original architectural design. It is open to visitors for a small price (less than $2 Canadian, kids free) which also includes incense. I wasn't too sure what to expect, to be honest, I have never been inside a temple of any sort before. I found myself becoming easily overwhelmed with such a sense of ancient beliefs and practices. The smell of burning incense, the huge, ornate statues, the "hush" of being in a sacred place and watching worshipers solemnly bow to the four points - North, East, South and West, then kneel and present their offerings before one or more statues. All foreign to me, but very intriguing. I wish I knew more about who each statue was and what they symbolized. We didn't see as many monks as I hoped so I didn't get a picture of them. Essentially, we just wandered around, in and out of little buildings housing anywhere from a handful to a large number of statues. The doorways are so narrow. There are beautiful lamps hanging indoors. The temple also houses a library and a little market for purchasing figurines, items made of jade, etc. It was quite a worthwhile experience for us. A point of interest is the 40' high Longhua Pagoda which is so old and fragile it is not open to visitors. It can be seen in Steven Spielberg's movie, Empire of the Sun for all you movie buffs. Another point of interest is a 2 metre high copper bell cast in 1382 and weighs 5 tons. This bell is still used to ring in the new year with the Evening Bell-Striking Ceremony, being rung 108 times on Chinese New Years Eve. Another more morbid bit of information is that this was the site of public executions of those suspected to be communists in 1927. Please enjoy the pictures and feel free to ask if you have any questions!!