Ep. 096: The Temple of the Jade Buddha
My last temple in Shanghai
Jade Buddha Temple, the last temple I saw in Shanghai, is the home of several magnificent (you guessed it) jade Buddhas. Let's visit them in this episode of--
TEMPLE TALES!
Shanghai's Temple of the Jade Buddha was so close to my hotel that after checking out I left my bag, went to Jing'an Temple (see Episode 094), walked past my hotel to the Jade Buddha, then back to the hotel again for the bags and a stroll back down to the subway station. From the other end of the subway I caught the mag-lev train (an experience in itself) to the airport and my flight back "home" to Shenzhen.
Some History
Zen Coffee, "isolated from the hustle and bustle outer world"
The Jade Buddha Temple was, in some ways, the most pleasant visit of the trip, despite the pressure of thinking about my flight. The current abbot, Master Juexing, is forward-looking in remarkable ways. For example, he has founded a small shop at the front of the temple (facing the street) called "Zen Coffee," where "isolated from the hustle and bustle outer world" you can drink coffee while you "enjoy the Buddhist music and Buddhist artworks."
Juexing also founded a bookstore with discounted books, and a "consultation service" to spread knowledge and enhance laypeople's understanding of Buddhism, as well as two vegetarian restaurants--one inside the grounds, and one facing the street. Master Juexing is also involved in many charities, including homes for children and seniors.
A jade Guanyin (Avalokiteshvara) at the temple
All of this progressive activity is less surprising when you learn that Yufo (its Chinese name)--unlike Longhua (founded 242), Jing'an (247), and Chenxiang Ge (1600)--was founded in 1882, a mere stripling compared to the others in Shanghai. (See Episodes 090, 094, and 088 respectively.)
At that time, Huigen (d. 1900), a monk from Mount Putuo (where I had been earlier on this trip--see Episodes 056, 076, 078, and 080) made a pilgrimage to Tibet, and continued on to Burma. A Chinese layman living in Burma gave him five jade Buddhas. On his way back to Putuo Shan (by ship--he had walked to Tibet), he left two of these in Shanghai, becoming founding abbot of Jade Buddha Temple. (The other three continued on to Putuo Shan.)