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 Shanghai
is the last city that TechnoTourist visited in China. With one of the largest
populations in the world, Shanghai is a global center for commerce and culture.
Though Shanghai is overflowing with modern  entertainment, visitors can also
enjoy the rich history that the city has to offer. This week TechnoTourist will describe three
major historical sites in and around Shanghai. Also check out TechnoTourist's adventures in Beijing, Xi'an, and Guilin.
Jade Buddha
In Xi'an, I
visited the Da Ci'en Buddhist Temple. In
Shanghai, I visited the Jade Buddha Temple. This temple was founded in 1882 for
the purpose of storing two jade Buddha statues that were brought to Shanghai
from Burma. Unfortunately, the original temple was destroyed, but it was
rebuilt in 1928. The te mple now also contains a large reclining Buddha statue
that is made of marble.
The
Temple of the Jade Buddha has many structures, but the three main sites to see
are the Grand Hall, the Jade Buddha Chamber, and the Hall of the Four Heavenly
Kings. The Grand Hall contains many statues, including the Three Golden Buddha.
The Jade Buddha Chamber contains the 1.9m-high sitting Jade Buddha, the
namesake of the temple. It costs a little bit extra to see the sitting Jade
Buddha, but it is well worth it. Unfortunately, no photographs are allowed.
The Hall
of the Four Heavenly Kings was my favorite part of the temple. It contains
statues of the East King, South King, West King, and North King. The kings
protect Buddhism and the temple itself. Each king performs different duties and
holds a different weapon. Respectively, the kings: offer music with a deadly
musical instrument, promote kindness while holding a lethal sword, keep watch
over society with the company of a dangerous water-spouting dragon, and provide
blessings while holding a magical storm-conjuring parasol.
Yu Garden
One of
the most beautiful places I visited in all of China was the Yu (Yuyuan) Garden.
The name translates to the 'garden of happiness'. In 1559, Pan Yunduan thought
to build a garden to comfort his elderly father Pan En, who was a government
official during the Ming Dynasty. Much like other historical places in China,
the Yu Garden has suffered extensive damage since it was originally built. The
garden that visitors see today is a restoration from 1956.
 The Yu
Garden contains several pavilions, halls, rockeries, and ponds. There are
endless opportunities for beautiful pictures, no matter what the weather is
like. To me, one of the most interesting features of the Yu Garden is the
Exquisite Jade Rock. Standing at about 3.3 meters, the rock is a natural
oddity. If water is poured over the rock, the water will flow out of all of the
rock's 72 naturally-formed holes. They also say that if incense is burned below
the rock, smoke will emerge from each hole as well, which must be quite an
amazing sight.
Tiger Hill Pagoda
The last
place I visited on my trip to China was a city called Suzhou, which is about an
hour and a half west of Shanghai. It was there that I saw the Tiger Hill (Yunyan)
Pagoda. The legend behind the name of the scenic location states that an
ancient king was buried on this hill, which had a different name at the time.
Three days after the burial, a white tiger appeared on the hill looking as
though he was the protector of the tomb.
The
pagoda is located towards the top of the hill. Originally completed in 961 AD,
it is a 48-meters-tall brick structure with seven octagonal stories. The tower
has a very noticeable 3.5 degree lean to the north due to an unstable
foundation that was originally half rock and half soil. It is nicknamed the
Leaning Tower of China, though it was constructed more than 200 years prior to
the Leaning Tower of Pisa. In 1957, the Tiger Hill Pagoda was reinforced with
concrete to prevent further leaning.
I hope
you enjoyed following the TechnoTourist to China. Be sure to comment if you
have been to any other great Chinese attractions.
References
Jade Buddha
Yu Garden
Tiger Hill Pagoda
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Re: TechnoTourist Visits China: Shanghai
