Chenxiang Pavilion

Chenxiang Pavilion or Chenxiangge Nunnery (simplified Chinese: 沉香阁; traditional Chinese: 沉香閣; pinyin: Chénxiāng Gé) is a Buddhist temple located in the Huangpu District of Shanghai. Now it is a Bhikkhuni temple.

Chenxiang Pavilion
沉香阁
Entrance of Chenxiang Pavilion.
Religion
AffiliationBuddhism
DeityChan Buddhism
LeadershipShi Dinghui (释定慧)[1]
Location
LocationHuangpu District, Shanghai
CountryChina
Shown within Shanghai
Geographic coordinates31°13′58″N 121°29′46″E
Architecture
StyleChinese architecture
FounderPan Yunduan (潘允端)
Date established1600
Completed1815 (reconstruction)

History
Statue of Sakyamuni at the temple.

The temple was first established by an official named Pan Yunduan (潘允端) in 1600, under the rule of Wanli Emperor in the late Ming dynasty (1368–1644), the modern temple was founded in 1815 during the Qing dynasty (1644–1911) and initially called "Ciyun Chan Temple" (慈云禅院).[2]

On May 26, 1959, Chenxiang Pavilion was inscribed to the Shanghai Municipal Cultural Preservation Unit List by the Shanghai Municipal Government.

In 1966, Mao Zedong launched the Cultural Revolution, the Red Guards had attacked the temple and Chenxiang Pavilion was dilapidated with huge losses of the cultural relics, including a Ming dynasty wood carving statue of Guanyin. Then The temple was used as a factory.[2]

Chenxiang Pavilion has been designated as a National Key Buddhist Temple in Han Chinese Area by State Council of China in 1983.[2]

On November 20, 1996, it was listed among the fourth batch of "Major National Historical and Cultural Sites in Shanghai" by the State Council of China.[3]

Architecture
The Mahavira Hall at the temple.
A hall at the temple.

The temple occupies a total area of 2,378-square-metre (25,600 sq ft). The extant structure is based on the Qing dynasty (1644–1911) building principles and retains the traditional architectural style. Main structures from the Paifang to the Hall of Guanyin are aligned with the central axis and divided into three countyards. At the very front is Paifang, followed by the Four Heavenly Kings Hall, Mahavira Hall, and finally Hall of Guanyin in the rear. On both sides of the central axis are Hall of Dharma Protectors and Memorial Hall of Master Yingci (应慈法师纪念堂).[2]

Hall of Four Heavenly Kings

Maitreya is enshrined in the Hall of Four Heavenly Kings and at the back of his statue is a statue of Skanda. Statues of Four Heavenly Kings are enshrined in the left and right side of the hall.[2]

Mahavira Hall

The Mahavira Hall enshrining the Three Saints of Hua-yan (华严三圣). In the middle is Sakyamuni, statues of Manjushri and Samantabhadra stand on the left and right sides of Sakyamuni's statue. Statues of Brahma and Indra are placed on both sides of statues of Manjushri and Samantabhadra. At the back of the hall enshrines the statue of Guanyin with Shancai standing on the left and Longnü on the right. The statues of Eighteen Arhats sitting on the seats before both sides of the gable walls.[2]

Hall of Guanyin

A 1-metre (3 ft 3 in) high wood carving statue of Guanyin is placed in the middle of the hall. The original statue was carved in 1600 during the Ming dynasty (1368–1644) but was completely destroyed in the ten-year Cultural Revolution. The present version was presented by Hong Kong Buddhist believers.[2]

Hall of Dharma Protectors

The Hall of Dharma Protectors (伽蓝殿), for the worship of Guan Yu, a general in the Three Kingdoms of ancient China.[2]

References
  1. 上海沉香阁隆重举行定慧住持晋院典礼. ifeng (in Chinese). 2012-06-05.
  2. 上海沉香阁. sina (in Chinese). 16 October 2007. Retrieved 2020-01-06.
  3. 第四批全国重点文物保护单位名单 [List of the Fourth Group of Major National Historical and Cultural Sites]. china.com.cn (in Chinese). 2012-10-17.
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