White Crane Qinglong Pagoda

White Crane Qinglong Pagoda

White Crane Qinglong Pagoda is a Shanghai Municipal Cultural Relics Protection Unit and a patriotic education base.

Qinglong Pagoda, also known as Qinglong Temple Pagoda or Qinglong Wild Goose Pagoda, was first built during the Changqing era of the Tang Dynasty (821–824 AD). It is a rare physical historical relic in the Shanghai area and the only above-ground structure remaining from the ancient port of Qinglong, Shanghai. It serves as a valuable resource for studying the ancient history, architecture, and Buddhist heritage of Shanghai.

Qinglong Pagoda is the oldest pagoda in Shanghai. Due to years of neglect, its staircase has been destroyed, its eaves have disappeared, and the body of the pagoda leans precariously. In 1956, the bronze gourd at the top of the pagoda was blown off by a typhoon. The gourd was inscribed with the year "the 17th year of the Chongzhen reign of the Ming Dynasty" (1644 AD), and it is now housed in the Qingpu District Museum. The remaining part of the pagoda has seven stories and is 31.1 meters tall.

On September 29, 1982, the Shanghai Municipal Cultural Relics Management Committee announced Qinglong Pagoda as a municipal-level cultural relics protection unit and erected a stone stele at the base of the pagoda. In 1990, the committee allocated over 100,000 RMB to hire Mr. Cao Shizhong, an expert from Zhejiang, to take on the task of straightening the ancient pagoda. The restoration project was successfully completed in January 1992, and a classic-style perimeter wall was built for protection. The towering pagoda and the newly renovated Qinglong Ancient Temple have become a major scenic attraction in Baihe Town, drawing over 50,000 visitors annually.

In the Tang and Song dynasties, the old Qinglong Town was a hub for foreign trade, bustling with ships and merchants, thriving markets, and numerous surrounding temples. The Bao De Temple was built in the second year of the Tianbao era of the Tang Dynasty (743 AD) and was renamed Longfu Temple in the first year of the Changqing era (821 AD), when the pagoda was constructed inside. The pagoda was rebuilt during the Qingli era of the Northern Song Dynasty (1041–1048). Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty, during his southern tour, bestowed the name Jiyun Chan Temple upon it, hence it is also known as "Jiyun Chan Temple Pagoda." Qinglong Pagoda is a brick-and-wood structure with seven levels and eight sides. In the late Southern Song Dynasty, the Qinglong River silted up, the town declined, and only this pagoda remained as a witness to its past.

Originally named Bao De Temple, it was renamed Longfu Temple in the Song Dynasty. In the 54th year of the Kangxi reign (1715 AD), the emperor, while passing through Qinglong on a southern tour, personally inscribed the plaque "Refined and Solemn Longevity" and bestowed the name "Jiyun Chan Temple" upon the temple. He also gifted a crystal Guanyin statue, a golden-splashed lotus fan, and a apricot-yellow kasaya, collectively known as the "Three Treasures." According to the Guangxu-era edition of the "Qingpu County Annals," Qinglong Temple covered over 60 acres with more than 450 acres of temple fields. Its grand architecture included the Mahavira Hall, Kṣitigarbha Hall, Skanda Hall, meditation rooms, dining halls, Xishu Hall, Qiexie Hall, Wenjue Hall, Chenghuai Hall, the abbot’s quarters, east and west corridors, the incense kitchen, storage rooms, and the common stupa. The sounds of bells and drums never ceased, and Buddhist chants echoed throughout the day, earning it the reputation of "the most magnificent Buddhist site under heaven." In the third year of the Jiaqing reign (1798 AD), a fire destroyed the grand halls and pavilions. In the early Daoguang reign, the monks rebuilt some structures. In the tenth year of the Xianfeng reign (1860 AD), the temple suffered severe damage during the war. In 1936 (the 25th year of the Republic of China), the monks raised funds to build the Guanyin Pavilion and a large bell, both of which no longer exist. Only two stone steles remain: (1) The Record of the Revival of Qinglong Longfu Temple, and (2) The Inscription on the Reconstruction of the Mahavira Hall of Jiyun Chan Temple.

In 1992, the pagoda leaned 1.56 meters off center. The Shanghai Municipal Cultural Relics Management Committee specially invited Professor Cao Shizhong, a renowned expert in structural correction, to straighten it. The temple and pagoda were listed as county-level and municipal-level cultural relics protection units in 1959 and 1960, respectively.

Address: Qinglong Village, Baihe Town

Postal Code: 201709 Tel: 59746198

Opening Hours: All year, 24 hours

Public Transport: Huaqing Special Line

Qinglong Village: The Qinglong Village Committee is located in the southeastern part of Baihe Town, bordering Huaxin Town to the east, Zhonggu Xu Yao Village to the west, Zhonggu Xinfeng Village to the south, and Jihé Highway to the north. The Bahe Highway intersection in Baihe is 3 kilometers from Qinglong Village; the Hu-Ning Expressway Huaxin intersection is also 3 kilometers away. Before and after the founding of the People’s Republic of China, it has always been named "Qinglong." During the agricultural cooperative period, it was part of the Baihe Township Qinglong and Lujin primary and advanced agricultural production cooperatives. During the people's commune period, it was managed by the Qinglong and Pingqiao Brigade Management Committees of the Baihe People's Commune. From 1958 to 1966, it was merged into Qinglong Village. In 1984... More details about Qinglong Village++