Jade Buddha Temple

Introduction 

Located on Anyuan Road, Putuo District in Shanghai, the Jade Buddha Temple was built in 1882 to house two jade Buddha statues which had been brought from Burma by a monk Huigen. He was a native from an island located close to Shanghai and had made a pilgrimage to Tibet. When he visited Burma after his pilgrimage he met a Chinese native called Chen Jun who donated five Buddha statues made of jade to him and he was able to bring only two of them to Shanghai. During the Chinese Revolution in 1911, the original temple was taken over by rebels and was destroyed hence leading to the shifting of the jade statues location. In 1918 monk Kechen, oversaw the construction of a new temple that was built on the present site in 1928 and was named the Jade Buddha Temple.

Buddhas

In the Jade Buddha Tower is a sitting Buddha measuring 190 centimeters high and encrusted by the agate and the emerald, portraying the Buddha at the moment of his meditation and enlightenment. 

At the Recumbent Buddha Hall is where the Recumbent Buddha is located. It measures 96 centimeters long and lies on its right side with the right hand supporting the head and the left hand resting on the left leg, this posture is known as the 'lucky repose'. Its sedate face displays the peaceful mood of Sakyamuni when he left this world. 

In the temple there is also another Reclining Buddha, made of marble that measures around 12 feet long and was donated from Singapore the tenth abbot of the temple in 1989. 

Chamber of Four Heavenly Kings

The Hall of Heavenly Kings is a two-floor structure with three doors opening to its south. There is a collection of statues representing Buddhist figures inside the front hall of the temple. There is Maitreya the bodhisattva with smiling faces that will apparently appear on the face of the Earth in the future, Skanda the bodhisattva with vajra pestle in his hands to protect the temple and the Four Heavenly Kings. These represent favorable conditions in terms of wealth, wisdom, passion and peace in the east, west, north and south directions. 

Mahavira Hall

Inside the Grand Hall of the temple, there are the following collection of figures.

• 18 Arhats: These are small monuments dedicated to people who achieved enlightenment.
• The Gold Statues of the Gods of the Twenty Heavens.
• The golden statue of Guanyin and Sudhana together with their 53 masters.
• Three Golden Buddha statues: Amitabha, Sakyamuni and Medicine Guru

Cultural Relics and Artworks

These interesting relics can also be seen at the temple

• Bronze Buddha from the North Wei Dynasty (491 AD)
• The Tripitaka 
• Jujube wood Avalokitesvara Statue from the Ming Dynasty 
• Medicine Guru Buddha  from East Wei dating back 543 AD 
• A wooden carved Lingjia Mountain from the Qing Dynasty

Vegetarian Restaurant

This restaurant is accessible without entering the entrance of the temple where visitors can taste dishes such as vegetarian duck, Arhat noodles, mushroom noodles, vegetarian ham, double mushroom and lion head noodles and vegetarian chicken amongst many other vegetarian dishes. 

Former French Concession (FFC)

Introduction 

The Former French Concession is a former concession of France which lasted between 1849 and 1943. It occupies an area of around 8 kilometers stretching west of the Bund. It is to the east of Huashan Road, to the south of Yan’an Road, to the west of Huangpu River and to the north of Zhaojiabang Road Xujiahui Road. 

The French consulate office was allowed to recreate 66 hectares into their liking to improve Franco Chinese relations and expand the consulate’s land. In addition to French government officials, other wealthy civilians from Britain, Russia and the USA also lived in this elegant location creating it into what it is today. The Former French Concession history dates back to 1849 when it developed to be the greatest and most prosperous French Concession in China. In the 1920s it was the most prosperous area in Shanghai and in 1943 the government took it over and shut the French concession that had been in power for close to 100 years. 

Things to see and do on a visit

Residential area

A visit to the neighborhood clearly brings out a perfect juxtaposition from other Shanghai neighborhoods with its unique architecture and tree-lined streets. At Sinan Road, there are at least twenty garden houses on opposite sides representing almost all the residential buildings that were in Shanghai since the early 20th century. The FFC is a great residential area amongst foreigners and expats. Visitors can see residences of Soong Ching Ling: the Honorary President of the People’s Republic of China, Sun Yat Sen and Zhou Enlai. 

Strolling, shopping and eating 

FFC is the best place to take long walks along tree-lined streets, perfect boulevards, narrow alleyways protected by wrought iron gates featuring cafes, restaurants, breweries, boutiques, antique stores and galleries giving visitors a feeling of the spirit of walking in the foreign land of Europe. Walking along streets such as Wukang Lu, Wulumuqi Lu, Fuxing Lu, Dongping Lu, Changle Lu, Julu Lu, Taojiang Lu, Yongfu Lu, Xinle Lu and Tai'an Lu guarantee a good time whether you are looking to shop for international products such as  European cheese, jams, all kinds of oils, wine, exotic herbs, local fresh produce and local merchandise. There are also art stores, galleries, exhibitions and artistically decorated buildings. Middle Huaihai Road is one of the busiest streets keeping up with the latest trends and is home to numerous top-rated restaurants. Visitors who wish to relax over a meal or drink can find both indoor and outdoor establishments serving both local and international cuisine.

Fuxing Park

At Fuxing park, visitors can see how dominant the European influence is. The park is full of life with people showcasing the art of water calligraphy, elderly couples dancing away to classical hits as others practice tai chi

Moller Villa

This Moller Villa is situated at the corner of South Shaanxi Road on Yan'an Middle Road. It is a Nordic style garden villa that was constructed by an Englishman named Moller who lived in Shanghai. Moller wanted to fulfill his daughter’s dream by building this villa. It has a small gate, colorful walls and tiles, Chinese glazed tiles, gothic spires and buddha statues. Visitors feel like they are walking in a fairy tale somewhere in northern Europe when they visit this place. Its interior was inspired by a luxurious cruise ship and its floors were paved with fine wooden strips to form the pattern of seaweed and kelp.

Tianzifang

Introduction 

An Old French Quarter which has managed to retain its organic feel in terms of architecture where international brands, as well as local designer merchandise, are found in plenty. The traditional alleys and shikumen most featured Shanghai dwellings which mix western culture and traditional style of Han Nationality are home to art galleries, cafes, restaurants, studios and craft stores.

In the late 1990s, Chen Yifei, one of China’s most renowned contemporary artists renovated abandoned factory buildings converting them into art studios. With time many other local artists followed suit due to the availability of cheap rental rates and availability of ample space creating a thriving district with a commercial neighborhood.

Things to see and do on a visit

Architecture 

Tianzifang is full of old Shikumen houses which are stone framed-door houses set up with lanes with infinite novelties. Shikumen buildings combine Western and Chinese architectural styles and feature distinctive large doorways framed in stone and were built in the 1930s. Now these shikumen buildings house bars, shops and restaurants. There are very good examples of these Shikumen buildings all over Tianzifang but on the upper part of Lane 248 they dotted all over.

Art

Unique pieces of art can be found on Taikang Road in Tianzifang. On lane 210 is the location of the factory building that Chen took over back in the days and is now an art studio where visitors can see his studio to see his artwork. Further on the same lane, there is an Art Centre that gives local artists with a venue for painting, photography and displaying their artworks in exhibitions. At Shanghai Lu, visitors can shop for unique contemporary Chinese designs printed onto T-shirts. 

Shopping

Lane 248 is the center of action of Tianzifang in matters shopping with everything, a visitor would love to shop for ranging from jewelry, clothes, souvenirs and cute handbags. On Beijing Fan at number 37, visitors can buy handmade silk fans. At Shi Yi Ji on lane 248, visitors can find novelty shops, stationery, different accessories, toys and postcards. 

Restaurants

On lane 248 there are food stalls and a variety of restaurants. Visitors can experience the culinary beauty of Tianzifang with queer snacks on sticks and tasty snacks in open-air stalls and in cafes serving both local snacks like Chinese dim sum, western snacks like Western hamburgers and chicken heart skewers and even Japanese cuisine. 

Bund

Introduction 

The Bund popularly known as Wai Tan is a renowned waterfront on the west bank of Huangpu River in Huangpu District, Shanghai. The waterfront stretches for 1500 meters from Waibaidu bridge to the east of Jinling Road and it faces the Oriental Pearl Tower. There are 52 different classical buildings bearing western, Baroque, Romanesque, Gothic and Chinese styles which make up the financial center of old Shanghai and the concentration zone of foreign trade agencies. The area is located on East Zhongshan number one road and is recognized as the pride and symbol of Shanghai.

The name Bund is of Anglo Indian origin and it means an embankment of a muddy waterfront. The area where the Bund stands now used to be a muddy towpath for boats from Huangpu River. In 1842 after the First Opium War Shanghai opened up and became an open port where Great Britons settled. In 1845 the British colonialists seized the Bund and set up the British concession. Afterward, many other foreign nations such as the United States of America, France, Russia, Italy, Belgium, Japan and Netherlands set up their distinct buildings raising the status of Shanghai to become Asia’s leading cosmopolitan and thriving financial and commercial center. 

Things to do and see on a visit 

The Bund Sightseeing Tunnel

This sightseeing Tunnel is a three to five minutes ride that goes through colorful lights in a distance of about 646.7 meters running between Puxi and the Oriental Pearl Tower in Pudong.

Sunset on Waibaidu Bridge

Waibaidu Bridge is the best place to have a view of the old Shanghai complex. When the sun sets this bridge is shrouded by golden rays and creates a romantic scene for love birds. Many film directors and producers choose this location for scenes and it has become very famous amongst locals and tourists alike. 

Stroll at the waterfront avenue

Strolling along a mile-long stretch at the Huangpu waterfront from the north end to the south end gives visitors the perfect opportunity to see colonial-era architecture from western roots that are graceful and rich antiques. Visitors get to see arches from ancient Greece, Spanish balconies, pointed Gothic roofs and Baroque columns.

Cruise on the Huangpu River

A cruise on Huangpu River presents visitors with the chance to see historical architecture and soaring skyscrapers on the opposite side of the river. At night the buildings on the banks are illuminated and present a very enchanting view of Shanghai. The florid Bund night view from a Huangpu River cruise. Dazzling lights completely enlighten the area and exhibit the magnificence of the buildings on the banks and flashing light shadows reflect on the floating river water. 

Most of the cruises last as long as thirty minutes to three and a half hours cruises. In addition there is a ferry ride across to Pudong where visitors can also experience the scenic views on both sides of the river.

Watch the Locals Doing Their Morning Exercises

At the Bund, locals can be seen taking their regular morning exercises. Some will be seen jogging, walking, practicing tai chi and flying kites.

Spend Some Time in Huangpu Park

At the northern end of the Bund is Huangpu Park. It is like a small oasis situated between the Bund and busy shopping areas. The manicured lawn and gardens particularly stand out as there is not much green space in this part of Shanghai. It is a wonderful place to have a rest and to take photos, day or night.

Where to Shoot Panoramic Views of the Bund?

There are three ideal locations to see the full view of the Bund: Pudong Binjiang Avenue, on a Huangpu River Cruise, and one of the skyscrapers in Pudong like Shanghai World Financial Center, Oriental Pearl TV Tower, Jin Mao Tower and Shanghai Tower. If you want to take beautiful photos of the Bund, we advise you to hire a guide who can give you tips about when and where to go. A knowledgeable guide can arrange different places to take photos according to the weather.

Appreciate high rises across the Huangpu River

At the Bund, visitors can feel the charm of the exotic old Shanghai and also experience modern Shanghai across Huangpu River dominated by dense high rises in Pudong New Area on the opposite bank. There are buildings such as the Shanghai Tower, the World Financial Center, the Oriental Pearl Tower, Jin Mao Tower and the top four highest skyscrapers in the city. These skyscrapers dominate the skyline and create a perfect backdrop for photographers.