A Temple with Plenty of Highlights from the Yuan Dynasty - Shanghai's Zhenru Temple

When it comes to famous temples in Shanghai, Zhenru Temple is somewhat understated. Located in Putuo District of Shanghai, the temple covers an impressive area of 1,370 square meters. Originally named 'Wanshou Temple' and commonly referred to as 'Da Miao,' it is a national heritage conservation site. Zhenru Temple is the earliest built and most influential in the Shanghai area. During the Jiading era of the Southern Song Dynasty, the monk Yong'an founded the Zhenru Academy in the official quarters. In the seventh year of the Yuan Dynasty's Yuanzhen period, the monk Miaoxin relocated it to the northeast side of the intersection of Taopu and Liyuanbang, its current location, and renamed it Zhenru Temple. The name of the temple is derived from the Buddhist scripture 'Cheng Weishi Lun,' which explains: 'Zhen means truth, revealing no falsehood; Ru signifies constancy, indicating no change. This truth is constant in all aspects, always true to its nature, hence the name Zhenru.' ✅ Must Experience: The most characteristic Yuan Dynasty structure in the Jiangnan region Tang Dynasty sixteen arhats rubbings 800-year-old ginkgo tree Jade statue of Sakyamuni A 5-meter tall white marble statue of the four-faced Guanyin A joyful pigeon paradise The Zhenru Mutton Restaurant that you can't miss just a step away 🗓 Itinerary: 1⃣️ Entering from the mountain gate on Lanxi Road leads to a long and narrow plaza, where incense offerings are concentrated. Open flames are not allowed inside the temple. 2⃣️ Continuing forward, you will sequentially pass the Bell Tower (Ksitigarbha Hall), the Heavenly King Hall, and the Drum Tower (Jialan Hall), and then officially enter from the Heavenly King Hall. The east side of the Bell Tower has a vegetarian dining hall available from 11:00 to 11:30. 3⃣️ Exiting the Heavenly King Hall, there are two ginkgo trees on the north side, with the ancient one on the left being over 800 years old. Besides the ginkgo trees, there are also large areas of potted green plants, with the Puxian Hall and Sakyamuni Hall to the west, and the Manjusri Hall and Medicine Buddha Hall to the east. 4⃣️ The second is the Mahavira Hall, a brick-and-wood structure characteristic of the Yuan Dynasty in the Jiangnan region, with 'Dharma Realm Zhenru' hanging high on the hall door. The bottom of the main beam is carved with the inscription 'Jia Da Yuan Sui Ci Geng Shen Yan You Qi Nian Gui Wei Ji Xia Yue Yi Yi Er Shi Yi Ri Xun Shi Ding Jian,' which accurately records the year of construction, the seventh year of the Yuan Dynasty's Yuanzhen period (1320), a nationally protected cultural relic. The central statue of Sakyamuni seated is carved from Burmese jade. The walls of the hall are adorned with rubbings of the sixteen arhats painted by Tang Dynasty's Guanxiu. 5⃣️ The third is the Circular Hall. In the center is a 1.2-meter-high circular bluestone lotus pedestal, with a vajra as the pillar, accompanied by deep relief carvings of the eight celestial dragons. Atop the lotus pedestal is a 5.2-meter-tall, approximately 35-ton white marble statue of the four-faced Guanyin. The crown is sculpted with the Five Dhyani Buddhas, and the center of the chessboard-patterned ceiling has a caisson with a thousand-armed and thousand-eyed figure. Around the caisson, thirty-two wooden carved images serve as hanging ornaments, forming a canopy. The walls of the hall are inlaid with stone carvings of twenty-eight followers of Guanyin; above is Zhao Puchu's inscription of 'The Universal Gate Chapter of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva.' 6⃣️ After the Guanyin Hall is the Zhenru Pagoda. The central open space, besides a pond for releasing creatures, also has a pigeon house, where auspicious pigeons are released by devotees. This area is a joyful paradise for pigeons, where the atmosphere shifts from solemn and respectful to harmonious and joyful. Pigeon food is available for self-service purchase. 7⃣️ The Zhenru Buddha Pagoda stands 53 meters tall and is the first Buddhist pagoda built in Shanghai in nearly a hundred years. The pagoda has nine floors, plus the first floor with a double-eave hidden mezzanine and an underground palace, totaling eleven floors. The underground palace enshrines the true relics of Sakyamuni. The base of the pagoda is inlaid with bluestone reliefs of the eight great bodhisattvas, surrounded by a five-meter-wide corridor for devotees to admire, worship, and circumambulate. The bottom floor of the pagoda houses statues of Maitreya Buddha, Amitabha Buddha, Sakyamuni Buddha, and Medicine Buddha in the four cardinal directions. From the third floor to the top, the walls are adorned with wood carvings of the fifty-three visits of Sudhana, and the side walls house a total of three thousand statues of Sakyamuni Buddha. Around the base of the pagoda are copper prayer wheels. 8⃣️ The last two floors house the abbot's quarters and the scripture repository, which are not open to the public. The corridor near the Taopu River on the west side has many famous inscriptions, offering a place for riverside relaxation. 🚉 Transportation Tips: Take Metro Line 14 to Zhenru Station and exit from Gate 7, then walk about 500 meters 💰 Average Spending: Entrance and incense offering fee: 10 yuan