Agarwood Pavilion

Agarwood Pavilion

Agarwood Pavilion is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Also known as Ciyun Chan Temple, it is located at No. 29 Agarwood Pavilion Road, Shanghai. Together with five other Buddhist temples in Shanghai — Jade Buddha Temple, Longhua Temple, Jing'an Temple, and Yuanming Lecture Hall — it was designated in April 1983 by the State Council as one of the 142 key Han Chinese Buddhist temples nationwide. It is the largest and most distinctive nunnery in Shanghai. Agarwood Pavilion was first built during the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty and was rebuilt in the 20th year of the Jiaqing reign (1815), when it was renamed Ciyun Temple. However, it is still commonly called Agarwood Pavilion by the public.

Located on Agarwood Pavilion Road in Huangpu District (formerly Nanshi District), the site covers 2,378 mu (159 hectares). Formerly known as Ciyun Chan Temple, it is the only temple in Shanghai that enshrines an agarwood Guanyin (Goddess of Mercy). According to the Tongzhi-era Shanghai County Annals: “In the 28th year of the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty, a statue of Guanyin carved from agarwood floated to the mouth of the Huai River. At that time, Pan Yunduan was overseeing grain transport on the Huai and brought the statue back to build a pavilion.” Hence the name Agarwood Pavilion, which originally served as Pan Yunduan’s family shrine. During the Kangxi, Jiaqing, and Daoguang reigns of the Qing Dynasty, the temple underwent multiple renovations and expansions. Structures include the mountain gate stone archway, Maitreya Hall, Mahavira Hall, Agarwood Buddha Hall, Crane Pavilion, and the front meditation hall. The Guanyin statue, carved from precious aquilaria agarwood — unique among Buddhist temples — depicts the deity resting one foot and one hand on her knee in a contemplative pose, exuding lifelike naturalness. When it rains, the fragrance of the agarwood fills the air.

Memorial Archway:

In front of Agarwood Pavilion stands a four-pillared, three-gate, double-eaved, upturned-corner memorial archway inscribed with the characters “Shenxiang Pavilion” (沈香阁) written by Sha Menghai. Since the ancient Chinese character did not include the character “沉” (chén), “沈” (shěn) was used as they were interchangeable at the time, giving the appearance of age to the temple. Agarwood Pavilion was formerly also known as “Ciyun Chan Temple.” Covering an area of 2,378 square meters, the central axis includes the Heavenly King Hall, Mahavira Hall, and Guanyin Hall. The side halls house the Sangharama Hall and the Memorial Hall of Master Yingci.

Heavenly King Hall:

In the Heavenly King Hall, the Maitreya Buddha is depicted wearing a celestial crown, with the right foot placed over the left — a representation of his bodhisattva form during practice in Tusita Heaven. This is the true form of Maitreya, distinct from the common big-bellied Maitreya seen in most temples. The Four Heavenly Kings stand upright, unlike the seated posture typical in other temples. Skanda stands behind Maitreya with palms pressed together, holding a vajra staff — also differing from the usual staff-resting pose.

Mahavira Hall:

At the center of the Mahavira Hall is the “Huayan Three Saints.” In the middle is Vairocana Buddha, flanked by Manjushri and Samantabhadra standing on either side, with the heavenly deities Brahma and Indra guarding on the left and right. This arrangement is rare among temples in the Jiangnan region. On both sides are the Eighteen Arhats, depicted with lifelike expressions as they look up, raise their heads, and gesture dynamically. The Vairocana Buddha is the reward body of the Tathagata, and the caisson ceiling above features 348 small Buddha statues, symbolizing the 348 precepts observed by nuns. As a nunnery, Agarwood Pavilion has 20 nuns. Behind the “Huayan Three Saints” is the Guanyin who Crosses the Sea, standing atop a makara (sea creature) while holding a pure water vase, with the Boy Sudhana on the left and the Dragon Girl on the right.

Guanyin Pavilion:

The Guanyin Pavilion features upturned eaves and an elegant, classic design. A horizontal plaque above reads “Guanyin Hall of the South Sea Treasure Raft,” referring to the Bodhisattva. The ground floor serves as a monk’s chamber, while the upper floor houses the agarwood Guanyin statue, about one meter tall, seated with one leg bent and the head bowed onto the knee, slightly tilted, in a contemplative stance — known as the “Cintamani Wheel Guanyin.” Whenever it rains, the fragrance of agarwood wafts through the air. This statue was obtained by Pan Yunduan, the grain transport supervisor of the Ming Dynasty, from the Huai River in the 28th year of the Wanli era (1600). Thus, Agarwood Pavilion has been around for nearly 400 years.

The Book of Sui records that during the Sui Dynasty, envoys visited various countries in Maritime Southeast Asia, where the Kingdom of Chitu gifted an agarwood Guanyin. When the envoy returned and was presenting the statue to Emperor Yang of Sui, a storm capsized the boat at the Huai River, causing the statue to sink. It was later recovered during the Ming Dynasty by Pan Yunduan, owner of the Yu Garden in Shanghai. Though the agarwood Guanyin remained intact after a thousand years submerged in the Huai River, it was destroyed during the Cultural Revolution. The current agarwood Guanyin was donated by devotees from Hong Kong.

On both sides of the Guanyin Pavilion, the left hall is the Sangharama Hall, enshrining Guan Yu, with Guan Ping holding a seal on the left and Zhou Cang wielding a sword on the right. The right room houses a 40-armed Guanyin, a simplified version of the Thousand-Armed Guanyin. The left room serves as a guest hall. The right wing includes the Memorial Hall of Master Yingci.

The entire temple complex is quite expansive, with the Maitreya Hall and stone archway at the front; the Mahavira Hall and Agarwood Buddha Hall in the middle, along with the Crane Pavilion, the front meditation hall, and surrounding wing rooms. The pavilion’s architecture is solemn and refined, standing out prominently within the temple. During the Qing Dynasty, the pavilion served as a site for praying for clear weather or rain. Before the construction of the Wanshou Palace in Shanghai, imperial celebrations for the birthdays of the emperor and empress dowager were also held here. As a result, it enjoyed thriving incense offerings and widespread fame throughout Shanghai.