Weng shihui/Shanghai Daily news

Arriving at a temple after an hour long ferry ride may sound unusual or even slightly fantastic. However, Shou'an Temple is one place where this isn't fantasy.
On the eastern side of Chongming Island stands the famous Buddhist monastery Shou'an Buddhist Temple. The archaic temple was built in a classical architectural style and serves as a unique and inimitable element of Shanghai.
After the temple's initial construction, it quickly became a center of worship for the Chan (Zen) Buddhists, and once the temple served as a home to hundreds of these monks.
During it's turbulent history, the temple has been destroyed and then restored twice with the current structures dating to the late Song dynasty (960-1279 AD).
The hall of Heavenly King, Precious Hall of the Great Hero (the main hall), and the Three Saints Hall make up the main structure of the temple, at the sides of which are the Western Bower, Eastern Bower and Jade Buddha Tower.
The heavenly King Hall
A laughing Buddha, known as the Maitreya or the Buddha of the Future, is enshrined in the middle of the Heavenly King Hall.
The buddha was originally a fertility figure who was known to bring "goodies" to locals.
He is a symbol of happiness, wealth and innocent joy.
On the two sides of the hall are the statues of the four Heavenly Kings.
These statues are usually known as "the four Heavenly Kings for protecting the Buddhist world."
Precious hall                of The Great Hero
Before reaching the Precious Hall of the Great Hero, one will notice two ginkgo trees which are more than 300 years old.
The black tiled eaves of the main hall lend a sense of power to the trees' silhouette, but their purpose is by no means solely aesthetic.
The wide overhang is used to protect the hall from lightening.
The entrance to this hall has a particularly high threshold and in the old days, it is said, women were banned from the temple and the high threshold was designed to keep them out.
However, today the Precious Hall of the Great Hero is the central place of worship where monks and Buddhists practice Buddhist activities, such as sutra chants, everyday.
Thousands of Buddhists and seekers of spiritual calm gather in the hall, now irrespective of gender.
The hall houses three grand Buddhist statues, with Sakyamuni in the middle of the hall, Amita Buddha stands to its East and the Buddha of Herbal Master to its West.
The buddha Amita sits quietly with a lotus in both hands, Amita is believed to be the Buddha of the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. Sitting in meditation, he is known as Amitabha "infinite light," and Amitayus "infinite life."
Amitabha is also seen as the symbol of universal, primeval wisdom or soul.
The buddha of Herbal Master worshiped here holds a bowl in his left hand and a pill in his right as a symbol of the ability to heal disease.
There is a popular saying that: "If one meditates on the Buddha of Herbal Master, one will eventually attain enlightenment, but in the meantime one will experience an increase in healing powers both for oneself and others and a decrease in physical and mental illness and suffering."
Other highlights in the hall are the statues of the Eighteen Arhats (Luohan) arranged close the walls, each of which is said to possess different supernatural powers.
To the opposite side of the Sakyamuni stands another large Buddha - Manjusri Buddha.
The manjusri Buddha worshiped here holds a book in hand and rides a lion. As the embodiment of the infinite wisdom of all Buddha, Manjusri is a popular, beloved deity among ordinary worshipers.
Jade buddha Tower
Constructed in 2002, the Jade Buddha Tower was build to preserve a jade Buddha which was brought to China from Burma by an overseas Chinese named Cheng Liangchuan.
The 3.8-meter-high white Jade Buddha is encrusted with jewels weighing hundreds of kilograms.
The precious statue is not only a rare cultural relic but also a piece of porcelain art.
Carved entirely of white jade, the sparkling, crystal-clear jade adds to the Buddha's beauty and sanctity.
The leader of the temple Wei Jue said: "More than 30,000 sutras are kept in the temple now. They are all inestimable cultural relics. It is a good place to go whether you are a Buddhist or not, the peaceful and transcendent atmosphere adds a kind of richness to one's busy city life."