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Jing'an Temple

Peace and quiet amidst skyscrapers

This Buddhist Temple is located on West Nanjing Road near People's Square and Nanjing Road, and can be reached easily by Metro Line 2. The Jing'an Temple has been in existence since 247 AD, although it moved to its present location north of the Suzhou River in 1216. The building has been renovated several times since then. A jade statue of the sitting Buddha, 3.8 m high, can be seen in the temple. With these dimensions, it is the largest sitting jade statue in all of China. Other impressive sights for visitors are a 5-ton figure of Guanyin (symbolic of compassion) made from camphor wood, and an enormous bell.

The Jing'an Temple is a cultural gem amidst the skyscrapers and heavy traffic of West Nanjing Road:

The Jade Buddha statue is impressive for its size alone:

The juxtaposition of the temple and surrounding skyscrapers seems a bit bizarre:

The Jing'an Temple is open between 8 am and 5 pm, except on Buddhist holidays. The admission price is 30 yuan.