Songjiang Yanshou Temple

Songjiang Yanshou Temple

Songjiang Yanshou Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

Yanshou Temple is located on Litai Street in Litai Town, Songjiang District, built adjacent to a pagoda. During the Ming Dynasty, a king commissioned the construction of the pagoda for Buddhist worship. The eminent monk Yuanshin came from Dinghai to reside at the pagoda, and descendants of the King of Wuyue, the Qian family, donated land to help build the temple halls. The temple was constructed next to the pagoda and was originally named Cheng’an, meaning “Serene Wave Hermitage,” in hopes of calming the waves. The pagoda site marks the origin of Buddhism in Songjiang, and the pagoda-temple complex has a history spanning over thirteen and a half centuries.

Yanshou Temple was built after the Li Pagoda. According to the 1805 edition of the Songjiang Prefecture Records during the Qing Dynasty’s Jiaqing era, the Li Pagoda was initially constructed in the early Tang Dynasty. It was built by Li Ming, the thirteenth son of Emperor Taizong of Tang, when he served as the Prefect of Suzhou. The pagoda was erected to calm the waters and boat traffic on the Hengmao waterway, to guide night navigation with its illuminated beacon, and to pray for the souls of those who perished on land and water. With a history of 1,300 years, the pagoda is adorned with evenly distributed Buddhist niches around and inside it, featuring exquisitely carved Buddha statues and illustrations of worship, hence its name “Li Pagoda” (Ritual Pagoda), making it the earliest Buddhist site in Songjiang. Over time, people referred to it colloquially as “Li Pagoda” in honor of Prince Li Ming of the Tang Dynasty. The Hengmao waterway area also became known as “Litai Confluence.” The scholar Qiu Bingtai wrote in his record “Reconstruction of Li Pagoda and Yanshou Temple”: “All passing boats and travelers regarded the stupa (Li Pagoda) as their destination. The once desolate river gradually grew into a bustling town — one cannot deny the power of Buddhism.” The name “Li Pagoda” is actually a mispronunciation of “Ritual Pagoda.”

The Li Pagoda stands over 40.94 meters tall, has seven levels and is square-shaped, built with brick and wood. In 1213, during the sixth year of the Jiading era of the Southern Song Dynasty, the monk Yuanshin from Dinghai in eastern Zhejiang arrived and raised funds to build the temple. A local wealthy man surnamed Qian donated his residence to be used as the temple and also contributed land for constructing monks’ quarters at the base of the Li Pagoda. Initially named “Cheng’an” and also called “Yuan’an,” during the Xianchun era (1265–1274), the monk Ruzhan requested the temple be officially named “Yanshou Monastery,” hence the pagoda also became known as the “Yanshou Monastery Pagoda.” In 1308, during the first year of the Zhiyuan era of the Yuan Dynasty, the temple was destroyed. In the early 1573, during the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty, the monk Zhao rebuilt the temple, still under the name “Yanshou Monastery.” In 1659, during the 16th year of the Shunzhi era of the Qing Dynasty, the Songjiang prefect Zu Chengxun raised funds for major renovations. In 1740, during the fifth year of the Qianlong era, a local named Yang Wenlong exhausted his family fortune to construct the Yuantong Hall and the Mahavira Hall. He also donated several acres of incense fields and invited the monk Jizhou to preside over the temple, ushering in a period of flourishing activity. In 1821, during the first year of the Daoguang era, the abbot monk Zhijue initiated repairs to the meditation hall. By the early 1851, during the Xianfeng era, the temple had again fallen into disrepair — Buddha statues were exposed to sun and rain, their gilded colors faded, and the monks lived exposed to wind and dew. Local devotees such as Yu Ye invited the monk Puxin to take over the temple. Starting in 1852, during the second year of the Xianfeng era, the mountain gate, Mahavira Hall, abbot’s quarters, and the pagoda were repaired, and four additional living quarters — “Zhenjing,” “Chengyi,” “Guangji,” and “Miaowu” — along with over thirty rooms were added. Several acres of incense fields were also acquired, and a ferry crossing called Cihang was established three li upstream to help travelers and worshippers cross the river. Devotees came from far and wide. In 1913, the monk Lian Gen, serving as abbot, raised funds to renovate the Yuantong Hall, restoring the temple’s former glory. At that time, the mountain gate was also refurbished: the first hall was the Maitreya Hall, the second the Suspended Hall, and behind them lay a spacious brick-paved courtyard with the towering Li Pagoda at its center. On either side of the pagoda stood ancient thousand-year-old silver junipers, their canopies providing shade overhead. The third hall was the Mahavira Hall. As a river-crossing sacred site for worshipping the Buddha, it became a serene and blessed place in the region. However, during the Second Sino-Japanese War, Japanese aerial bombings destroyed the halls and the gingko trees. Although repaired over time, the spiritual roots remained, and worship continued until the early 1950s.

Yanshou Temple covers an area of twelve mu, with a built-up area of 2,001 square meters. Major structures include the thousand-year-old scenic Buddhist pagoda Li Pagoda (Ritual Pagoda), the Mahavira Hall, the Heavenly King Hall, the Three Saints Hall, as well as the Merit Hall and monks’ quarters. The temple's second-phase project is ambitious, currently under construction with plans for the Thousand-Hand Thousand-Eye Avalokiteshvara Hall, the Ksitigarbha Hall, a lay practitioners' building, bell and drum towers, and other supporting facilities. There are also historical landmarks nearby, including the former residence of Zhang Xianghe, a Qing-era Minister of Works, and the home of Lei Buchutong, a Qing-era diplomat.

Transportation Guide

Address: No. 88, Litai Street, Litai Town, Songjiang District, Shanghai

Transit: Take bus routes 23, 37, 79, or 1849 within Songjiang District, Shanghai, and get off at the Litai Town stop.