November 14, 2009

Situated in the northwest part of Shanghai, Putuo District covers 55 square kilometers with a registered population of 1,050,000. It is not only the cradle of modern Shanghai industry but also a new thriving business center and commodity center of Shanghai. The only silver spot transactions center of China is located in the district, which enjoys convenient transportation with two expressways and two highways. The Suzhou Creek has a section of 14 km long flowing by/through the district. Three ring roads, including Inner Ring Road, Mid Ring Road and Outer Ring Road, pass through the district. It is eight-minute-driving away from Hongqiao Airport and fifteen-minute-driving away from Zhangjiabang Container Terminal. The Shanghai West Railway Station is in the district. Zhenru is one of the four big sub-centers of Shanghai.

The famous Jade Buddha Temple, Zhenru Temple and the Western Shanghai Mosque are located in the district, which is also the location of the biggest landscape park in Shanghai City - Changfeng Park and the biggest aquarium in the eastern China - the Ocean Floor World. What is more, there are over ten universities and research institutes in the district. 

Zhenru Temple, one of the four ancient Buddhist temples of Shanghai, is located in Zhenru Town of the district. It was set up in the period of Jiading of the Southern Song Dynasty and was renamed Zhenru Temple after the reconstruction in 1320 (during the Yuan Dynasty). It is one of the rare Buddhist temples built in the Yuan Dynasty preserved in China and the hall and the ancient pagoda are of great value.

During the period of Guangxu in the Qing Dynasty, a monk named Huigen who brought five jade Buddha statues from Burma left a jade statue of Sakymuni and a reclining Buddha statue in Shanghai on his way back to Putuo Mountain of Zhejiang. He collected money to build a temple for the disciples to worship Buddha and the Jade Buddha Temple was built in 1882. It is famous for the jade Buddha statue which is pure white and elegant. The temple was damaged in the war and reconstructed in 1918 under the style of the constructions of the Song Dynasty. The main constructions are Grand Hall, the Hall of Heavenly Kings, Reclining Buddha Hall and Jade Buddha Chamber. More than 7,000 volumes of Buddha sutra engraved in the Qing Dynasty and other Buddha sutras are stored in the temple. Shanghai Buddhism Institute is also located in the temple.

Shanghai Light Textile Market in the far end of the district is the shopping paradise that you should not miss. Despite its name, it also sells various knick-knacks, photo frames, paintings, shoes, and all kinds of dresses, among other things. We got several pairs of lovely dolls from there!

RELATED

Shanghai