Xiaoputuo Temple

Once a tranquil sanctuary by Yizhou Pond, Xiaoputuo Temple now stands proudly amidst Shanghai’s bustling energy. Xiaoputuo Temple’s story began not in Shanghai, but in Burma. In the late 19th century, a monk named Huigen journeyed from Mount Putuo to Tibet, eventually reaching Burma. There, he received five jade Buddha statues from a generous overseas Chinese resident. Huigen brought two of these treasures back to Shanghai. He established a temple in Jiang-wan to house them. Sadly, he passed away soon after. This original temple was overtaken during the 1911 uprising, forcing the relocation of the jade Buddhas to Maigen Road. The Xiaoputuo Temple we see today arose thanks to the efforts of another monk, Kechen. He secured land from Sheng Xuanhuai, a Qing dynasty official whose family had Buddhist roots. Construction spanned a decade, from 1918 to 1928. The temple’s Grand Hall houses three golden Buddhas, representing the past, present, and future. Twenty golden Devas and eighteen unique Arhats adorn the hall. A golden Guanyin statue, accompanied by Sudhana and his 53 teachers, graces the northern entrance. Upstairs, the Jade Buddha Chamber holds the temple’s namesake: a pale-green jade Buddha, over six feet tall and carved from a single piece of jade. A smaller reclining white jade Buddha, also from Burma, rests in the Reclining Buddha Hall. Remember the larger reclining Buddha? It is a later addition, a marble donation from Singapore. Xiaoputuo Temple has witnessed much history. It served as the site of Master Taixu’s passing in 1947. It hosted the 2500th anniversary of Buddha’s enlightenment in 1956. Even during the Cultural Revolution, the monks sustained themselves through selling handicrafts, keeping the temple’s spirit alive. Today, Xiaoputuo Temple stands as a testament to resilience, a beacon of Buddhist tradition in a modern metropolis.