Zhenru Ancient Town
was formerly known as Taoxi or Peach Creek. The name Taoxi came as early as the period of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms when Jiangsu, Shanghai and Zhejiang were ruled by the Wu and Yue Kingdoms. Canals were dug and peach trees were planted along these waterways. During the Yuan Dynasty, (1206 - 1368), after the construction of the Zhenru Temple, it became a prosperous marketplace.
Zhenru Temple
located in the north of Zhentu Town, is an important historical monument under special preservation with an 800-year history. The Temple was built in Jiading era of the Southern Song Dynasty and called Zhenru Yard. It was rebuilt and then renamed Zhenru Temple by Monk Yong An in Jiading era. In the seventh year of the Yanyou era of the Yuan Dynasty (1320), Monk Miao Xin applied for funds to newly build the main hall, which is the oldest timberwork building of the Yuan Dynasty survived in south Yangtze River Area.
The temple covers an area of over 20 mu. In the temple, the Mahavira Hall, the Avalokitesvara Hall, the stupa and the newly-built Tripitaka Houses and Abbot’ Room compose of an axis, on the both sides of which, all the side halls were built gradually. These buildings fall into a four-progressive-entrance yard divided by the 200-meter-long stele-corridor, the corridor before the hall and the gatehouse. The Mahavira Hall in the front of the yard was built in the seventh year of the Yanyou era of the Yuan Dynasty (1320).
The Mahavira Hall is an important historical monument under special preservation of the state. Among the 16 poles in the hall, there are 10 poles constructed in the Yuan Dynasty. The gold poles in the front and in the back of the hall lean inwards; hence the name “Inward Feet”. The bases of 6 poles are the antiques of the Yuan Dynasty. On the bottom side of the ridge beam, a 26-character inscription that record the precise time of installing the beam. The other archaistic buildings are all constructed in accordance with the style of the hall, by adopting grey tiles, white wall, gable and hip roof with single eaves and dragon fastigium.
In the Avalokitesvara Hall, there is a four-side whole-piece white marble Kwan-yin, which weights 35 tons and is rare in Asia. The nine-storied stupa, in which the Buddhist relics are treasured, is the landmark scenery in Zhenru Town in the northwest of Shanghai. The figure that consists of the stupa, two Tripitaka houses, the cloud path in front of the stupa, the lotus ponds beside the path and the dragon-eyeball-shaped stone lotus springs in the ponds looks like a sleeping dragon.
Text source: english.shpt.gov.cn - photographyoflifebyjoanntan.blogspot.com
was formerly known as Taoxi or Peach Creek. The name Taoxi came as early as the period of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms when Jiangsu, Shanghai and Zhejiang were ruled by the Wu and Yue Kingdoms. Canals were dug and peach trees were planted along these waterways. During the Yuan Dynasty, (1206 - 1368), after the construction of the Zhenru Temple, it became a prosperous marketplace.
Zhenru Temple
located in the north of Zhentu Town, is an important historical monument under special preservation with an 800-year history. The Temple was built in Jiading era of the Southern Song Dynasty and called Zhenru Yard. It was rebuilt and then renamed Zhenru Temple by Monk Yong An in Jiading era. In the seventh year of the Yanyou era of the Yuan Dynasty (1320), Monk Miao Xin applied for funds to newly build the main hall, which is the oldest timberwork building of the Yuan Dynasty survived in south Yangtze River Area.
The temple covers an area of over 20 mu. In the temple, the Mahavira Hall, the Avalokitesvara Hall, the stupa and the newly-built Tripitaka Houses and Abbot’ Room compose of an axis, on the both sides of which, all the side halls were built gradually. These buildings fall into a four-progressive-entrance yard divided by the 200-meter-long stele-corridor, the corridor before the hall and the gatehouse. The Mahavira Hall in the front of the yard was built in the seventh year of the Yanyou era of the Yuan Dynasty (1320).
The Mahavira Hall is an important historical monument under special preservation of the state. Among the 16 poles in the hall, there are 10 poles constructed in the Yuan Dynasty. The gold poles in the front and in the back of the hall lean inwards; hence the name “Inward Feet”. The bases of 6 poles are the antiques of the Yuan Dynasty. On the bottom side of the ridge beam, a 26-character inscription that record the precise time of installing the beam. The other archaistic buildings are all constructed in accordance with the style of the hall, by adopting grey tiles, white wall, gable and hip roof with single eaves and dragon fastigium.
In the Avalokitesvara Hall, there is a four-side whole-piece white marble Kwan-yin, which weights 35 tons and is rare in Asia. The nine-storied stupa, in which the Buddhist relics are treasured, is the landmark scenery in Zhenru Town in the northwest of Shanghai. The figure that consists of the stupa, two Tripitaka houses, the cloud path in front of the stupa, the lotus ponds beside the path and the dragon-eyeball-shaped stone lotus springs in the ponds looks like a sleeping dragon.
Text source: english.shpt.gov.cn - photographyoflifebyjoanntan.blogspot.com