Monthly Archives: February 2013

Shanghai Jewish Refugee Museum is located at the Changyang Road in the district of Hongkou. It was built in the memory of the jewish refugees who sought sanctuary from massacre during the world War II. It is placed in the former Ohel Mosche Synagogue. It is the place where the Jewish refugees gathered for the religious activities. This museum has many scorlls as well as other cultural relics.

Shanghai Jewish Refugee Museum

The prototype of the Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum, the former Ohel Moshe Synagogue was built in 1927 It was previously the headquarters of the Jewish Youth Organization in the from year 1937 to 1941. Shanghai has over 25 thousand Jewish refugees and it is the only metropolic in the world who have welcomed Jews as refugee. The number of Jewish refugees that is taken by this city equals the number in total taken by New Zeland, Australia, India, Canada and South Africa. Ohel Moshe Synagogue has now become a synonym for refuge or rescue.

The jews enjoyed a peaceful and free life at the former Ohel Moshe Synagogue. In between the end of World War II and 1960 most of them left china and migrated to the other parts of the world. But, their life in shanghai has been memorable and that is why they consider this city as their second hometown and thus call themselves “Shanghai Jews”.

The Jews lived a free and peaceful life around the former Ohel Moshe Synagogue. Between the end of the Second World War II and 1960’s, many left China and emigrated to all parts of the world one after another. But the life in Shanghai was so memorable, and they considered the city as their second hometown and called themselves “Shanghai Jews”.

In 1986’s autumn, a group of Jews revisited this place who had taken refuge earlier in Shanghai. After feeling the immense gratitude for the local people’s help, they have presented a plaque to the Hongkou District’s people’s Government inscribed that twenty thousand Jewish refugees have been survived in Shanghai during the World War II. They have dedicated this plaque to the all the survives and the friendly Chinese people.

Shanghai Jewish Refugee Museum

Since then the former Ohel Moshe Synagogue has been approved for becoming the Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum. It has been visited by many distinguished personalities. It has been declared as the historical building and protected cultural relic site by the Government of Shanghai. It has been re-innovated with beautiful decorations and furnishings.

Jade Buddha Temple is one of the famous and venerable Buddhist temples, which is situated in the western part of Shanghai which is a very flourishing and modern city. This temple was built in the year 1882 and has two statues of jade Buddha which has been brought by the monk Huigen from Burma. This temple was however destroyed during overthrew revolution during the Qing Dynasty. The statues were fortunately saved and this new temple was again built at the same site in the year 1928 and known as the Jade Buddha Temple.

Jade Buddha Temple

These two statues of jade Buddha are precious and work of porcelain artwork. They are rare cultural relics. Both of these Recumbent Buddha and Sitting Buddha are carved using whole white jade. The crystal clear and sparkling white jade gives the statue of Buddha the beauty and make them vivid. The statue of sitting Buddha is about 1.9 meters in height and is encrusted by the emerald and agate. This statue depicts the moment of the enlightenment and meditation of Buddha.

The Recumbent Buddha is about one meter long and lies on the right side. It has the right hand supporting head and left hand placed on the left leg. This pose is known as lucky repose. The sedate face depicts the peaceful mood of Sakyamuni while he has left this world. This temple also has the another statue of Recumbent Buddha which is about four meters long and was brought here from Singapore in the year 1989 by tenth abbot of this temple. You can also found many ancient paintings and scriptures related to Buddhism at different places in this hall.

The history of Jade Buddha temple is not so long but the classical architecture styles of old-time make it inimitable and unique in the modern town of Shanghai. Mavavira Hall, Devajara Hall and the Tower of Jade Buddha make the main structure of this temple. The Amitabha Dian Hall, Kwan-yin Hall, Recumbent Buddha Hall and the Dining-Room are at the sides. There are more than seven thousand Dazang sutras which are kept in the Tower of Jade Buddha are inestimable culture relics.

Statue of Buddha

This is the best place to visit also if you are not a Buddhist. The transcendent and peaceful atmosphere adds the richness to this temple from the busy and modern society.

Fengjing Ancient town is situated at the southwest part of Shanghai. It is about 57 Km from Shanghai City. It has been known for very long time as the ancient water town and it is one of the four most famous towns of south China. Fengjing Ancient town has history over 15 hundred years. It is demarcated by the boundary river in center and it is separated from the Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces in the year 1430 during the reign of Ming Dynasty.

Fengjing Ancient town Shanghai

You will find many building of the town resembling the style of Ming and Qing. You will find two-story structures mainly of timber and brick with black-tile-covered roofs and white washed walls. Each of this having dooryard, wing-rooms and walkway. The total area covered by the old residences of the four main streets is about 12 acres and unmovable cultural relics of Shanghai are included among these nine locations.

This town is boasted with 52 bridges which surround the water network. Zhihe Bridge which has lichen in the crevices of stones was build during the Yuan Dynasty. You can enjoy the panoramic view of the old houses and tress by standing on this bridge. You can also enjoy the beautiful view of red lantern which hangs under the back eaves during the night adding the beauty to the bridge. Another famous bridge is the Rainbow Bridge which is also distinct.

Fengjing Ancient town is full of old customs and culture of china and it is attracting a great number of foreign as well as domestic travelers. You can view the life of local people here and enjoy the tea sips at local tea shops. You can also get a chance to listen the local operas when there is a performance.

Fengjing Ancient town Shanghai

Paintings of Jinshan Peasant also flourished and originated in Fengjing Ancient town. It has a unique style of art and influenced a lot at abroad and home. It also favors the Fengjing home of the Chinese folk painting. You can also find many other folk crafts like furniture-carving, blue allover, Festival lanterns, kitchen mural, embroidery and paper-cuts. This town is also famous for the cotton textile and the cloths produced here are considered to be a good brand of China. You can also try to make your own handicraft in person. This place if full of diversity in religion as you can find different religion temples likes Buddhism, Taoism, catholic as well as other Christian Churches.

Qibao Ancient Town is located in the center of the Minhang District, Shanghai. It is situated at a distance of about 20 kilometers from the downtown area of Qibao Ancient Town. It can easily satisfy your curiosity regarding ancient water township and you need not bother about the rush of crowds or long distance.

Qibao Ancient Town

It is the only ancient town which forms the greater part of Shanghai. It has history over thousand years and Qiabo is much more than the ancient Chinese conurbation and the urban planning. This town was built during the Northern Song Dynasty and became a prosperous business center during Qing and Ming Dynasties. Qibao means seven treasures in Chinese and there are two theories about its derivation. The most reliable says that this name originates from Qibao Temple, which is famous for good reputation. This is very much responsible for the development of culture and business which was unknown previously. The other theory is popular among local people who have some folk tales about the seven treasures. These are the iron Buddha which was made by Ming Dynasty, Bronze bell also from the same Dynasty but they have appeared from nowhere. Other treasures include Jade axe, catalpa tree, gold cockerel and a pair of jade Chopsticks. Out of these seven treasures, only four can be verified and only the bell and the scripture are existence till date.

It has been dating for the period of five dynasties and Ten states. It is mainly extended and renovated during the period of Ming Dynasty. This temple has held the high regard by the local people as not only due to its seven treasures but due to its splendid appearance as well as its significance to the development of Qibao Town. This temple covered the area more than 140 acres and excluding the area of 22 acres by the surrounding rivers which blossomed in the Ming Dynasty. The revered monk called Jing used to interpret and study the scriptures here and it was recorded in the inscriptions which is carved in the bronze bell. This temple was rebuilt in the year 2002 which later covered area more than 150 acres and it was opened for public in the following year. The new Qibao Temple has new designs with buildings and gardens having unique architectural styles of Han and Tang Dynasty.

Qibao Ancient Town

In late spring, when the peaches in Longhua Park are in full blossom and the temple fair (on the 3rd March, lunar calendar) is under way, large numbers of visitors and pilgrims will come and the Longhua will become a place of great hustle and bustle.

Located on the Longhua Road at the south of the city, Longhua Park is famous for the ancient Longhua Temple, Longhua Pagoda, the Evening Bell-Striking Ceremony and the peach blossoms.

First built in 242 AD, which is during the period of the Three Kingdoms, Longhua Temple is the oldest temple in Shanghai for its long history of over 1700 years. Because of the several destructions by the wars, most of the buildings here were reconstructed during the reign of the Emperor Tongzhi and Guangxu in the Qing Dynasty.

Besides its long history, Longhua Temple is the largest temple in Shanghai. It occupies an area of over 20,000 square meters (five acres) and the architectural proportion is about 5,000 square meters (one point two acres). Along the 194 meters long (637 feet) axis are the Maitreya Hall (Miledian), Devajara Hall (Tianwangdian), Mahavira Hall (Daxiongbaodian), Three Sages Hall (Sanshengdian), Abbot’s Hall (Fangzhangshi) and the Sutras Keeping Hall (Cangjinglou) which keeps the three treasures of the temple including the Dazang sutras, the gold seals and the Buddhist statues. Accessory halls on the two sides are the Bell Tower and the Drum Tower, both of them are furnished with the same hexagonal windows and the curved eaves. The whole courtyard was built strictly in the style of traditional Buddhist symmetry and it’s in accordance with the Chinese concept of beauty.

A venerable copper bell which is two meters in height, one point three meters in diameter and weighs five tons (11,023 pounds) is placed on the three-storied Bell Tower. The Evening Bell-Striking Ceremony on 31st December is regarded as one of the eight great attractions of Shanghai. Welcoming the New Year in the melodious, heavenly sound of the bell is an interesting and memorable experience.

The seven-storied, 40.4 meters high Longhua Pagoda stands in front of the Longhua Temple, the brick body and the wooden staircases make up its main structure. Each storey is smaller than the storey below, and all the levels are encircled by balconies and banisters. Bells on each corner of the octagonal eaves make cheerful and lively sounds as the wind passes by. The pagoda has been rebuilt several times, but the style of the Song Dynasty still remains to today.

Longhua Pagoda & Longhua Temple

In late spring, when the peaches in Longhua Park are in full blossom and the temple fair (on the 3rd March, lunar calendar) is under way, large numbers of visitors and pilgrims will come and the Longhua will become a place of great hustle and bustle.