Sacred Destinations

Jade Buddha Temple (Yufo Si), Shanghai

Jade Buddha Temple, Shanghai
Red lanterns at the Jade Buddha Temple. Photo Creative Commons License Green Grass.

Courtyard
Incense in the main courtyard. Photo Creative Commons License le niners.

Courtyard Roofs
Smaller courtyard from above. Photo Creative Commons License le niners.

Jade Buddha
Prayer before the Reclining Buddha. Photo Creative Commons License le niners.


Circle door. Photo Creative Commons License Green Grass.


Another circle door. Photo Creative Commons License Alexandra Moss.

Ceiling
Spectacular ceiling and multiple Buddhas. Photo Creative Commons License le niners.


Prayer wheels. Photo Creative Commons License Alexandra Moss.




Founded in 1882, the Jade Buddha Temple (Yu Fo Si) in Shanghai is a popular tourist destination for its two magnificent white jade Burmese Buddha statues.

History

The Yu Fo Si temple was founded in 1882 to house two white jade Buddhas brought from Burma the year before by a monk of Putuo Shan. Destroyed and then abandoned after the 1911, the temple buildings were reconstructed on the same site in 1918-28.

Now a monastery of Chan (Zen) Buddhism, the Jade Buddha Temple serves foreign tourists and local devotees in equal measures.

What to See

The Jade Buddha Temple is not famed for its architecture, which is very new and built in a standard Song Dynasty style, but the two Buddhas housed within. Both are made of white jade in Burma and depict Shakyamuni Buddha (the historical Buddha).

The most impressive of the two is the seated Buddha, 2 meters (6 feet 5 inches) tall, weighing 205 kg (452 lb) and decorated with semi-precious stones. The other statue is a serene and beautiful Reclining Buddha about 1 meter (3 feet 4 inches) long.

Quick Facts

Site Information
Names: Jade Buddha Temple (Yufo Si); Yu Fo Si
Location:Shanghai, China
Faith:Buddhism
Denomination:Chinese
Order:Chan (Zen)
Categories: Buddhist Temples; Buddhist Monasteries
Architecture: Song
Date:1882; rebuilt 1918-28
Status:active
Visitor Information
Address:Anyuan Lu 170, Putuo, Shanghai, China
Coordinates: 31.24338° N, 121.440167° E   (view on Google Maps)
Lodging:View hotels near this location
Phone:021/6266-3668
Public transport:No Metro

Note: This information was accurate when published and we do our best to keep it updated, but details such as opening hours can change without notice. To avoid disappointment, please check with the site directly before making a special trip.

Travel Resources

Location Map

Below is a location map and aerial view of Jade Buddha Temple (Yufo Si). Using the buttons on the left, zoom in for a closer look or zoom out to get your bearings. Click and drag the map to move around. For a larger view, see our Shanghai Map.

Article Sources

  1. Frances Wood, Blue Guide China, 2nd ed. (New York: WW Norton, 2001), 278-79.
  2. Yu Fo Si (Jade Buddha Temple) - Frommer's Shanghai


Last updated on August 2, 2009.






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