Qingpu Zhuangyan Temple

Qingpu Zhuangyan Temple

Qingpu Zhuangyan Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

Zhuangyan Temple is located in Donghe Village, Liantang Town. Situated at the junction of Qingpu District, Songjiang District, and Jinshan District in Shanghai, it is just 7 kilometers from the ancient town of Fengjing. The temple can be directly accessed via the Shanghai-Hangzhou Expressway to the south and the Shanghai-Qingpu-Pingwang Expressway to the north, connecting to Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces. It is only a 40-minute drive from downtown Shanghai. Zhuangyan Temple is an ancient temple currently undergoing restoration. Originally named Puyangwang Temple, historical records indicate it was first built over 700 years ago—in 1301 AD (the fifth year of the Yuandade era). Legend has it that beneath the rear hall’s divine seat lies the tomb of Puyang King.

Nearby, there is a prehistoric site (Jinshan Tomb), where prehistoric relics have been unearthed. It is now a municipal-level protected cultural heritage site. In the 48th year of the Qianlong reign during the Qing Dynasty (1783 AD), Zhang Tinghui, a villager from Donghe, funded the renovation of the front and rear halls. The calligrapher Bi Dachun inscribed the plaque “De Zun San Wei.” In the third year of the Daoguang reign (1823 AD), Zhang Tinghui used his life savings to rebuild Puyangwang Temple. At that time, the temple complex included hundreds of rooms such as the Mahavira Hall, Guanyin Hall, Sanguan Hall, Mountain Gate, Heavenly King Hall, Chanting Hall, and Incense Kitchen, and was home to hundreds of monks practicing both Chan and Pure Land Buddhism.

Over time, through numerous wars, the temple was largely destroyed, leaving only two ancient ginkgo trees, which stand 25 meters tall with trunks 5 meters in circumference. Notably, their canopies intertwine, making them appear as one tree from afar but revealing two upon closer inspection. Known as the “Brother Trees,” they are now under municipal protection as first-class ancient and famous trees. In 1958, when the People’s Commune was established, the entire temple was demolished. However, due to its long history, devotees continued to worship and burn incense under the ancient trees year after year. After the reform and opening-up period, the number of Buddhist followers in the surrounding areas increased significantly. On November 28, 1997, with approval from the Qingpu District Government, Puyangwang Temple was restored and renamed “Zhuangyan Temple,” symbolizing “Upholding the Dignity of the Nation and Benefiting Sentient Beings.” The name “Zhuangyan Temple” was inscribed by Zhao Puchu, then President of the Buddhist Association of China, who also granted permission for the temple to open to the public.

Currently, Zhuangyan Temple is being expanded to restore its former glory based on religious needs. The expanded temple covers a total area of 26 mu, including 5 mu of leased land. The building footprint is 4,424.55 square meters, with a total construction area of 6,240.52 square meters. Considering the worshippers’ needs, the cultural background of the original site, and heritage conservation, the architectural style adopts traditional Suzhou-style designs reminiscent of the Ming and Qing dynasties. The Mahavira Hall spans 609 square meters, the east wing room 731 square meters, and auxiliary rooms over 300 square meters. The Mahavira Hall was completed in 2000. At its center is enshrined the Huayan Three Saints (Vairocana Buddha, Manjushri Bodhisattva, and Samantabhadra Bodhisattva), flanked by twenty Heavenly Kings. At the back is the Island of Guanyin and the story of Sudhana’s Fifty-Three Visits.