Yunxiang Temple is located in Nanxiang Town, originally established during the Southern and Northern Dynasties period (around 505 AD), and was initially named ‘White Crane Nanxiang Temple’. The name of Nanxiang Ancient Town is derived from this ancient temple. Situated at the end of the old street in Nanxiang, Yunxiang Temple is grand in scale and relatively quiet, providing a place for Buddhist worship and sightseeing.
The solemn atmosphere and tranquil environment can purify one’s soul. The temple is only a kilometer away from the famous Guyi Garden, which can be visited if time permits. In ancient times, Yunxiang Temple was famous in the Jiangnan region and enjoyed a thriving incense culture. However, due to various disasters and calamities, only a pair of twin pagodas, as well as the Tang stone sutra pillars and Song Putong Pagoda scattered in Guyi Garden, now bear witness to the temple’s history. The current Yunxiang Temple, rebuilt on the original site, is a complete Tang-style temple, which is quite rare in the Jiangnan area. The entire temple is constructed with reinforced concrete to imitate wood, with grand and simple natural halls. The main halls are arranged on the central axis of the temple: the mountain gate, Guanyin Hall, Mahavira Hall, and the Scripture Repository, with symmetrical arrangements of Jialan Hall, Daxizhi Hall, Bell Tower, Drum Tower, Manjusri Hall, Samantabhadra Hall, Upper Guest Hall, and Monk’s Quarters, surrounded by a corridor. In addition, there is a Merit Hall and Ten Thousand Buddhas Hall built underground. When you visit Yunxiang Temple, you will find that the plaque is inscribed with ‘Liu Yun Chan Temple’ instead of ‘Yunxiang Temple’. This is because there was a famous temple ‘Liu Yun Temple’ (founded in 1876) in the former Shanghai Nanshi District, which was destroyed during the war. After much effort by the Buddhist community, the temple was relocated to the current site of Yunxiang Temple, merging the two temples and continuing the incense tradition. The temple is open all year round from 8:00 to 16:30.Yunxiang Temple
Yunxiang Temple is located in Nanxiang Town, originally established during the Southern and Northern Dynasties period (around 505 AD), and […]
