Chongming Guangfu Temple

Chongming Guangfu Temple

Chongming Guangfu Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

Guangfu Temple is located on the southern side of Zhongxing Town in the eastern part of Chongming Island, an area renowned for its picturesque scenery and hailed as the “Pearl of the Yangtze River Estuary.” The temple covers an area of nearly 30 acres and is just 4 kilometers from the Chongming exit of the world-famous Shanghai Yangtze River Tunnel and Bridge project. Oriented west to east, the temple lies quietly by the mirror-flat Qidong Tourist Area. The environment is serene and elegant, not as bustling or commercialized as other famous temples, yet it attracts many worshippers and tourists who come to pray and enjoy the tranquil surroundings.

Guangfu Temple is situated in the southern part of Zhongxing Town in the eastern region of Chongming Island, an area celebrated for its charming landscape and honored as the “Pearl of the Yangtze River Estuary.” The temple covers an area of nearly 30 acres and is just 4 kilometers from the Chongming exit of the world-famous Shanghai Yangtze River Tunnel and Bridge project. Oriented west to east, the temple lies quietly by the mirror-flat Qidong Tourist Area. The environment is serene and elegant, not as bustling or commercialized as other famous temples, yet it attracts many worshippers and tourists who come to pray and enjoy the tranquil surroundings.

Guangfu Temple is one of the two largest Buddhist temples on Chongming Island. Its predecessor was the Wusheng Hall, located at the northern end of Jibang Town, which was originally built during the Xianfeng era of the Qing Dynasty. In 1921, Daocheng, a monk who made immortal contributions to the revival of Buddhism on Chongming, returned from Hangzhou after receiving his precepts and settled here. He established a classic Lotus Society and revived the Pure Land Buddhism tradition, renaming the site Guangfu Preaching Temple. In 1946, under the leadership of his chief disciple, Master Ye Cheng, the temple was relocated southward to its current site near the southern part of Zhongxing Town and rebuilt on a larger scale, covering three acres with 36 temple buildings and a full set of ritual instruments and facilities. This marked the beginning of Guangfu Temple’s initial formation. After the liberation, Master Ye Cheng made great efforts to raise funds in hopes of expanding the temple, gilding the halls, but unfortunately, unforeseen circumstances arose—war broke out, leading to the destruction of the temple and the dispersal of the monks.

After the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the Party’s policy on freedom of religious belief was implemented. In 1984, Master Changding, the direct disciple of Guangfu Temple’s founder Daocheng, returned to Chongming from his teaching position at the Chinese Buddhist Sangha College at Qixia Mountain Temple in Nanjing, taking on the responsibility of revitalizing the temple. He set the lifelong ambition of “establishing the temple, settling the monks, promoting the Dharma; teaching Tiantai doctrines, practicing Pure Land faith.” Through the joint efforts of Master Changding and the devoted followers, the temple properties were reclaimed. In 1985, Guangfu Temple was approved by the Chongming County People's Government as the second officially open Buddhist activity site in the county. Master Changding was appointed as the head of the temple, and a grand opening ceremony was held on the first day of the Lunar New Year in 1985. Nearly a thousand Buddhists from both on and off the island came to offer incense and worship, marking an unprecedentedly bustling occasion. After taking charge, Master Changding began recruiting monks while simultaneously renovating and expanding the temple buildings.

From the late 1980s to the 1990s, Guangfu Temple underwent a major transformation and achieved significant development. Under the efforts of Abbot Changding, and with the support of patrons and donors, a series of new structures were built, including the Mountain Gate Tower, Pilgrim Building, Buddha Recitation Hall, Dining Hall, Sangharama Hall, Guest Hall, Living Quarters, as well as the Buddhist Academy Teaching Building and Monastic Dormitory Building. The Mahavira Hall, completed in 1994, stands 19 meters high, 22 meters long, and 14 meters wide, with a floor area of 572 square meters. It features soaring upturned eaves, painted beams, and carved rafters. A plaque inscribed with “Mahavira Hall” by Venerable Zhao Puchu hangs prominently above the eaves, adding to the hall’s solemn, majestic, and magnificent atmosphere.

Address: 5th Team, Zhongxing Village, Zhongxing Town, Chongming County, Shanghai