Jax Stumpes: Jing'an Temple (5/7/2011)

Saturday, May 7, 2011

Let's take advantage of another sunny day!

The Jing'an Temple or Temple of Tranquility, was established in the year 247, and moved to this location in Shanghai in 1216. Destroyed and rebuilt multiple times, the last reincarnation began in 1999 and appears to be ongoing.

People hold a bundle of burning incense sticks and bow while praying:

The bundles are then left to burn out:

Under the bell tower to the right, we heard coins plinking. One had to reach out over this stone floor and attempt to drop or throw the coin into a very small hole. This guy missed:

Kent and I worked as a team to vector the drop, and Kent dropped the smallest 10-fen coin right into the hole!

Why was everyone rubbing this rock? Oh, it had jade in it. Jade remains cool to the touch, and has healing properties...

This statue of Guanyin, the bodhisattva of compassion represented as a female, is made of camphor wood:

Eleven of the Arhats, the guys who have committed their lives to enlightenment, but aren't there yet!

I still haven't figured the significance of these carved wood sculptures of temple bells, that people venerate as they rub their hands around the bell and then acros their bodies...

A Buddha of Long Life:

The largest jade sitting Buddha in China:

Kent tossing a coin into the bronze vessel, for good fortune:

View from the main hall down on the courtyard:

Detail of the eaves on the main hall (Qing Dynasty Style):

Large bronze bell:

A Buddha in silver:

A relief mural made with stones including semi-precious stones?

A close-up looks almost 3-D:

Wood carving:

Roof tiles:

Carved wooden doors:

A corner tower:

Sculpted tree:

View of the courtyard with the guardian lions:

Kent (Hey, Kathy L., we're trying!):

Tamiko:

Temple complex:

Skyline:

Temples tend to be surrounded by shops; here's a lotion spray character...

Mosaic planter:

Wheelock Square is diagonally across the street from Jing'an Temple:

Built in 2010, the 8th tallest building in Shanghai.
It has water in its fountain:

Jing'an Park
The Jing'an Temple was built near a Bubbling Well, which has since been covered and paved and built over, and no one knows its original location. But there is plenty of water in Jing'an Park, first at the Taihu Rockery/Grotto:

This park is particularly busy, with fan dancers:

Water writer using water that will evaporate:

Checkers players:

Card players:

More dancing:

And resistive or assisted tai qi pairings:

There are rhinocerus sculptures:

Statue of a teacher placed during 1986 Teachers Day:

Statue of Cai Yuanpei:

He was a Chinese educator whose residence is next to the park. In 1917 be became Chancellor of Peking University, and in 1927 he co-founded the National College of Music which later became the Shanghai Conservatory of Music.
Later I found his former residence:

A woven bamboo fence:

Back in Jing'an Park
A koi pond:

Teahouse (Bali Laguna Restaurant):

Oh, up close the lotus flower is dirty!

Lotus pond and yellow iris:

Bottlebrush:

Cedar trees:

Stepping stone:

Gerber daisies and columbines:

Jing'an Temple from the other side of the park:

A pretty corner:

I did find the Bubbling Well Alley:

Nanjing Road Dali-esque melted clock:

The Shanghai Children's Palace on Yan'an Road:

Also called the Marble Mansion or Hall, it was built in 1918-1924 by the Kadoorie family.

Now it functions as the China Welfare Institute's Children's Palace. These Palaces were first established after the Cultural Revolution as a place for children while their parents worked. They have expanded into providing numerous classes and activities for children.
Little guy with his ushanka (fur cap):

Street planters (there are even planters along the elevated highway!):

The former Palace of Sino-Soviet Friendship:

Built in 1954 in Russian Classical style, sometimes called Soviet confection.
With decoration details worthy of a wedding cake, it was appropriate that a wedding exposition was in rogress!