Xi Yin Zen Temple, also known as the Jiangnan Jade Buddha Temple, is one of the most essential attractions in the Tian Xia Yu Yuan scenic area. The temple occupies an area of 86 acres with a construction area of 12,000 square meters. It is positioned with its back to the Phoenix Mountain and facing the Nine-Dragon Mountain, with the Green Dragon on the left and the White Tiger on the right. This is a place where the phoenix dances and the dragon soars, a land of dragon coils and tiger crouching.
Xi Yin Zen Temple is built against the mountain, featuring a three-stage courtyard layout. The first structure, the mountain gate, serves as the Hall of the Heavenly Kings, with a jade-carved Maitreya Buddha at the front and a jade-carved Wei Tuo Bodhisattva at the back, flanked by the Four Heavenly Kings. Following this is the Mahavira Hall, a grand and spacious hall with Sakyamuni Buddha enshrined in the center. The twelve white jade pillars in front of the hall are orderly arranged, creating a majestic presence that is unique to this temple. The third structure is the Seven Buddhas’ Hall, from where one can overlook the entire temple complex.
Inside Xi Yin Zen Temple, there are over 20 Buddhist statues, all carved from Xiuyan flower jade. The jade Buddha statues are uniquely conceived, beautifully designed, exquisitely crafted, and grand in appearance, making them lifelike. This place is a world of Buddha and a world of jade. In 2003, it was recognized by the Shanghai Guinness Headquarters as one of the world’s largest-scale Qingming-style temples. The temple is open all year round from 07:30 to 16:30, with specific business hours subject to daily opening conditions.
