Shanghai Wanshou Temple

Shanghai Wanshou Temple

Shanghai Wanshou Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

Originally named Wanshou Monastery, Wanshou Temple is located in Jinshanwei Town, Jinshan District, Shanghai. It is a thousand-year-old temple situated at the southwesternmost tip of Shanghai. According to local historical records, it was initially built under the decree of Sun Quan, the King of Wu during the Three Kingdoms period. Legend has it that Sun Quan’s mother, Lady Wu Longzhen, lost her parents in her youth and, unable to endure the scorn of her aunt, fled with her younger siblings to Kangcheng (Jinshan City) to seek refuge with her maternal aunt. There, she was doted on by her aunt’s family, which allowed her to study poetry, scriptures, rituals, and etiquette. In the first year of the Huanglong era (229), Sun Quan ascended the throne, and Lady Wu Longzhen was honored as Empress Dowager.

To repay the kindness of her aunt and uncle who raised her during her difficult times in Kangcheng, Lady Wu asked her son to send people to bring them to live with her. However, her widowed aunt, who had devoted herself to Buddhism and helping others, refused to leave her hometown and move north. Consequently, Sun Quan ordered local officials to convert her former residence into a Buddhist monastery.

In the first year of the Jiaping era (232), the monastery was completed. Sun Quan conferred the title of “Lady Who Protects the Nation and Brings Longevity” upon his maternal great-aunt and personally inscribed the three characters “Wanshou Yuan” (Wanshou Monastery) in gold, which were made into a large plaque and hung in the Hall of Longevity within the monastery. This allowed his great-aunt to cultivate herself spiritually there. Later, Sun Quan also sent his siblings multiple times to Wanshou Monastery to offer blessings. After the Lady Who Protected the Nation passed away, Wanshou Monastery became a sacred site for Buddhist worshippers in the region.

Historically, Wanshou Temple enjoyed great renown and glory. Many emperors from various dynasties visited the temple to offer incense, leaving their traces behind. Local historical records mention: Sun Liang, King of Kuaiji of Eastern Wu; Emperor Yuan of Jin, Sima Rui; Emperor Wu of Liu Song, Liu Yu; Emperor Xuan of Chen, Chen Xu; Qian Liu, King of Wuyue of the Five Dynasties; Emperor Gaozong of Southern Song, Zhao Gou; and Zhang Shicheng, King of Wu at the end of the Yuan Dynasty.

In the Mahavira Hall, the central figure enshrined is Sakyamuni Buddha, flanked by Ānanda and Mahākāśyapa on either side. Sakyamuni had ten principal disciples, among whom Ānanda and Mahākāśyapa are the most renowned. Photography is not allowed inside the Buddha Hall. Behind the Mahavira Hall is the Hall of Three Saints, which enshrines the “Three Saints of the West.” At the center is Amitabha Buddha, the ruler of the Western Pure Land; on the left is Guanyin Bodhisattva, and on the right is Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva, also known as the “Three Honored Ones of Amitabha.” Buddhism distinguishes between the impure land, where ordinary people reside, and the pure land, where sages and buddhas dwell. On the right side of the Hall of Three Saints is the Dining Hall (Five Contemplations Hall), where monastics take their meals. The main hall features a large Chinese character for “Buddha” and an incense altar used for chanting before meals. Only after offering incense can the meal begin, and after eating, the bowls and chopsticks must be washed and neatly placed on the table. Behind the dining hall is the Sangharama Hall, where the guardian deity of the monastery, Sangharama, resides; the hall is inhabited by various celestial beings who protect the Dharma.

Over time, through dynastic changes, Wanshou Monastery experienced several rises and declines, and its name changed accordingly. It was once called “Protectress Temple,” “Wanan Temple,” “Wanshou Temple,” and “Blessing Ceremony Site,” among others. Historically, there were several major periods of rise and decline, such as:

In the first year of the Taijian era of Emperor Xuan of Chen (569), Wei Rongqing, a wealthy official and Minister of Justice from Xiaoguan Town (before the Ming Dynasty, Jinshan was once called Xiaoguan Town), invested his family fortune and raised funds to rebuild Wanshou Monastery. Three years later, the reconstruction was completed, and the temple entered its heyday. Historical records indicate that at the time, Wanshou Temple had six courtyards, a nine-story pagoda towering in front of the mountain gate—approximately sixteen zhang (around 53 meters) high—and a total of 208 halls and rooms. The monastery housed over 300 monks.

In the first year of the Jianlong era of Emperor Taizu of Song (960), Qian Chaozuo, the grandson of Qian Liu, provided substantial funding to renovate Wanshou Temple. He had the Buddha statues regilded and made a significant change to the statue of Maitreya in the Heavenly King Hall. He modeled the Maitreya figure after his great-uncle, Chen Qici, the “Cloth-Bag Monk” from Fenghua, Zhejiang, and personally composed a couplet for the statue: “A broad belly can contain all unbearable things; a smiling face greets all amusing affairs in the human world.” The horizontal scroll read: “May you greet new guests with a smiling face.” Today, this couplet and the Maitreya statue have become timeless classics, conveying a message to live optimistically, generously, tolerantly, and magnanimously.

In 1861, Wanshou Temple suffered further damage during the battles between the Qing army and the Taiping Rebellion. It was restored in 1865, with the rebuilt structure consisting of three main halls: the front gate, the main hall, and the abbot’s quarters and kitchen, all connected by wing rooms. This layout remained until the early Republican period.

Rise, dwelling, decay, and destruction are the natural cycles of all things in the world, and the prosperity and decline of Wanshou Temple followed the same pattern. For thousands of years, through the passage of time and dynastic changes, Wanshou Temple rose and fell multiple times but ultimately could not be preserved. In 1958, Jinwei Agricultural Middle School was established on the temple grounds. In 1960, the locations of Jinwei Middle School and the agricultural school were swapped, and most of the temple buildings were demolished. The last remaining main hall was torn down in 1973.

Restoration Process

With the deepening of reform and opening-up, continuous improvements in socioeconomic conditions and living standards, and the gradual implementation of the Party’s religious policies, the calls from devout followers to restore the thousand-year-old Wanshou Temple grew stronger. On December 3, 1993, the former People’s Government of Jinshan County officially approved the restoration and reopening of Jinshan Wanshou Temple.

The restoration project officially began in 1994. It received care and guidance from governments at all levels and strong support from numerous devotees.

From December 12 to 18, 2000, Wanshou Temple grandly held its first post-restoration Water and Land Dharma Assembly, praying for world peace and stability, national prosperity, and favorable weather. Since then, Wanshou Temple has been officially open to the public, welcoming devotees from all directions to worship.

Today’s Wanshou Temple boasts majestic architecture and a well-organized structure. The temple complex covers 38 mu (approximately 2.5 hectares) with a construction area of over 5,300 square meters. The buildings are arranged from front to back: the mountain gate, the guest hall, the monks’ quarters, the bell and drum towers, the Mahavira Hall, the Hall of Three Saints, the Merit Hall, the dining hall, the guest rooms, the Sangharama Hall, and the Liberation Pond, among others. During the design and construction process, the temple blends ancient Chinese and modern architectural styles. Although entirely constructed with reinforced concrete, it retains the traditional characteristics of Chinese Buddhist temples. Upturned eaves, yellow walls, and gray tiles give it a distinctive simplicity and solemnity, reflecting the honest and unadorned cultural essence of the Chinese nation. The serene environment, lush trees, and meticulously arranged flowers and plants fill the air with fragrance throughout the seasons. Walking through the temple, one can feel the profound richness of Buddhist culture and admire the exquisite beauty of architectural art. The garden scenery is poetic and picturesque, making it a place visitors find hard to leave.

Temple Address: No. 1148, Jinwei Village, Weizhen, Jinshan District, Shanghai