First Stop Jing'an Temple.
The Jing'an Temple was originally built in 247 AD and has since then been relocated to it's current site in 1216 and refurbished. It is designated as one of the national key temples of Han Buddhism. the center of the square has a large bell that people toss coins into on a regular basis now as donations for the monks who run the temple. The surrounding rooms contain large statues of different gods and of course a giant Buddha statue. the center of the square was full of people burning incense and praying to Buddha.
The Temple's current location in the middle of busy Shanghai is interesting. It's hard to believe this was built in 247 AD when it's surrounded by skyscrapers and Vogue advertisements.
My next stop was to the Yuyuan Garden commonly referred to as simply the Yu Garden. I got off the subway and couldn't immediately locate the Garden. Instead I found myself amongst a huge area of shops selling traditional Chinese items for tourists. I unknowingly had found myself in the Yuyuan Tourist Mart, a large area around the Garden filled with shops selling all sorts of things. 
I got to practice my bargaining, although all I ended up buying today were some postcards and stamps. The shops were very cool though and very cheap! I'm definitely going to be going back before I leave to pick up some souvenirs for my friends and for myself!
I did finally find the Yu Garden, but when I arrived I was told that parts of it were closed. I still went in since tickets were only $7 but I definitely didn't see all there is to see of this 5 acre Garden. The parts that I could see were beautiful though and I can see why it's regarded as one of the most beautiful gardens in this area of China. Hopefully I'll be able to go back on a day when all of the areas of the garden are open.
No comments:
Post a Comment