Longhua Temple

Located in Longhua park, in the south of the city, Longhua Temple is the largest temple in Shanghai. The Buddhist temple is dedicated to Maitreya Buddha. Initially constructed in 242 AD, which is during the period of the Three Kingdoms, the temple has been destroyed several times leading to several reconstruction. The current structure is from 1954. The seven-storied, 40.4 m high, Longhua pagoda is the tallest structure of the temple. The pagoda is the only part which has been preserved from the earlier times. The five main halls of the temple are arranged along a central north-south pointing axis that includes the Maitreya Hall, Heavenly King Hall, Grand Hall of the Great Sage, Three Sages Hall and Abbot's Hall. All the halls contain different statues of Buddha and his disciples. The Bell Tower contains a bronze bell weighing 3,000 kg. As a tradition, the bell is struck 108 times on every New Year’s Eve to bring in the New Year. One of the highlights of the temple is the hall containing 500 small Buddha statues. Visit the landmark pagoda and sprawling temple complex and soak in the spirituality.