Gyokubutsu Temple

Japanese: 玉仏寺 - ぎょくぶつじ

This is a Buddhist temple of the Rinzai sect in Shanghai, China. As its name suggests, it houses two jade Buddhas (Buddha statues studded with jewels), which are considered the treasures of Shanghai. The temple is also famous for its vegetarian cuisine. The temple was built in 1882 during the Guangxu era of the Qing Dynasty, and was founded by the monk Huigen from Mount Putuo in Zhejiang Province. Following the example of Tripitaka Xuanzang of the Tang Dynasty, Huigen traveled to Sichuan Province, Tibet, and Myanmar, bringing back five jade Buddhas, large and small. On his way back from this journey, the monk stopped in Shanghai and left one seated Buddha and one reclining Buddha for the people of Shanghai, which is said to have been the beginning of the Jade Buddha Temple. The Jade Buddha Temple later became a Rinzai sect temple, and came to be known as the Jade Buddha Zen Temple. It was heavily damaged during the Xinhai Revolution in 1911, and was rebuilt in its current location in 1929, where it remains to this day. The temple complex is designed in a typical Song Dynasty palace style and includes the Tenno Hall, Daiho Hall, and Prajna Hall. A seated jade Buddha statue is housed in the Jade Buddha Tower on the second floor of the Prajna Hall.

Source: Kodansha World Tourist Attractions Encyclopedia Information

Japanese:

中国の上海市にある、臨済宗の仏教寺院。その名称どおり、上海の宝とされる2体の玉仏（宝石をちりばめた仏像）を安置している。この寺は、精進料理でも有名。寺院の建立は清の光緒年間の1882年、開祖は浙江省普陀山の僧、慧根上人である。慧根上人は唐代の玄奘三蔵(げんじょうさんぞう)に倣い、四川省、チベットを経て、ミャンマーに旅し、大小5体の玉仏を持ち帰った。この旅の帰路、上海に立ち寄った上人が上海民衆のために座仏・臥仏各1体を残したが、これを安置したのが玉仏寺の始まりといわれる。玉仏寺はその後、臨済宗の寺院となったことから、「玉仏禅寺」とも呼ばれるようになった。1911年の辛亥革命の際に大きな被害を受け、1929年に現在地に再建され、今日に至っている。伽藍(がらん)は典型的な宋の時代の宮殿様式で、天王殿、大宝殿、般若丈室があり、般若丈室の2階の玉仏楼に、玉仏の座像が安置されている。

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