--- title: "Jing’an Temple, Shanghai: the golden temple on Nanjing Road" url: https://popularinchina.com/culture/buddhism-in-china/temples/jingan-temple section: "Culture" type: answer updated: 2026-11-01 next_review: 2027-02-01 status: checked author: "The Popular in China desk" fact_checker: "Alex Liu" publisher: Popular in China (https://popularinchina.com) license: Quote with attribution and a link to https://popularinchina.com/culture/buddhism-in-china/temples/jingan-temple --- # Jing’an Temple, Shanghai: the golden temple on Nanjing Road _Jing’an Temple is the gold-roofed temple that sits among the shopping malls of West Nanjing Road, with a metro station underneath. Its roots go back to the third century, and it gave its name to the whole district around it. Here is its history, what to see in the halls, the customs it is known for and how to get there._ **Verdict: Shanghai’s old temple among the malls** (静安寺) — A working Buddhist temple on West Nanjing Road, with a 15-tonne silver Buddha and a 3.87 m jade Buddha ## Short answer Jing’an Temple (静安寺, Jìng’ān Sì) is a Buddhist temple on West Nanjing Road in Shanghai’s Jing’an district, first built in 247 and on its present site since 1216. Visit for its golden halls, a 15-tonne silver Buddha, a 3.87 m jade Buddha and the old Bubbling Well spring, right above Jing’an Temple metro station. ## At a glance - **In Chinese:** 静安寺 (Jìng’ān Sì), ‘Temple of Peace and Tranquillity’; once known in English as the Bubbling Well Temple - **Where:** 1686 West Nanjing Road (南京西路), Jing’an district, Shanghai - **Founded:** 247, beside the Wusong River (Suzhou Creek); moved to its present site in 1216 - **Known for:** A 15-tonne silver Buddha, a 3.87 m seated jade Buddha and a 6.2 m camphor-wood Guanyin - **School:** Tangmi, the Chinese esoteric (tantric) tradition - **Getting there:** Jing’an Temple station, Shanghai Metro lines 2, 7 and 14, directly beneath the temple - **Ticket:** ¥50, as paid on our editor’s most recent visit; check at the gate ## History: from the Wusong River to Nanjing Road The temple was first built in 247, the tenth year of the Chiwu era of the Wu kingdom, during the Three Kingdoms period, on the northern bank of the Wusong River, the waterway now better known as Suzhou Creek. Its early name was 沪渎重玄寺 (Hùdú Chóngxuán Sì). The earliest detailed written account of it dates from the Southern Song dynasty. After a flood destroyed it in 1216, the temple was rebuilt on its present site, on what is now **West Nanjing Road**. It was rebuilt again in the late Qing dynasty, and most of what you see today dates from a rebuilding that began in the 1980s: the Mahavira Hall and the seated jade Buddha were consecrated on 12 May 1991, and the temple’s pagoda was completed in 2010. The surrounding district, Jing’an, takes its name from the temple. Jing’an follows **Tangmi** (唐密), the Chinese esoteric school of Buddhism. Master Chisong, appointed abbot in 1953, re-established the tradition here and enshrined the Mandala of the Two Realms, and the temple still officially practises it. For how a Chinese temple is usually laid out, see our guide to [Chinese Buddhist temples](/culture/buddhism-in-china/temples). Sources: [1][2][3] ## What to see at Jing’an Temple The halls are built largely of Burmese teak and set around courtyards. These are the main things to look for. [1][2][4][5] | What | Details | | --- | --- | | Mahavira Hall (大雄宝殿) | The main hall, with 46 pillars. It holds a silver Buddha made of 15 tonnes of silver, installed in December 2009, with more than ten silver statues of bodhisattvas and disciples. | | Jade Buddha | A seated Shakyamuni 3.87 m high, carved from Burmese white jade; it was consecrated with the main hall in 1991. | | Guanyin Hall (观音殿) | East of the main hall: a 6.2 m [Guanyin](/culture/buddhism-in-china/guanyin) carved from camphor wood, weighing about 5 tonnes, on a lotus base. | | Three Sages Hall (三圣殿) | First built in 1921 on open ground east of the main hall, and restored after 1984. | | Hongwu bell | A bronze bell of about 3.5 tonnes, cast in 1369 under the first Ming emperor, Hongwu. | | Older treasures | Stone Buddhas from the Southern and Northern Dynasties (420–589), and paintings by Zhang Daqian and other artists. | | Pillar and lions | A Dharma-protecting pillar topped with golden lions facing the four directions, a favourite photo spot. | ## The Bubbling Well In English the temple was long known as the **Bubbling Well Temple**, after a natural spring in front of its gate, and West Nanjing Road was Bubbling Well Road. The spring was praised as the ‘sixth spring under heaven’ and counted among the Eight Scenes of Jing’an listed in the Yuan dynasty. The well was filled in during road building in the late 19th century. It was found again in the late 1990s, when Metro Line 2 was being dug, and restored in 2001 as part of a renovation of the temple. Of the other Eight Scenes, which included a stele and a pair of cypresses planted in the Chen dynasty (557–589), most have vanished. Sources: [1][2][3] ## Festivals and customs The temple’s great day was the **Bathing the Buddha Festival**, the Buddha’s Birthday, on the eighth day of the fourth lunar month. From the Qing dynasty a temple fair was held then, drawing farmers, craftsmen and merchants; by the early 20th century it had hundreds of stalls, and it ran until 1963. Today the temple is busiest at the Lunar New Year, on the Buddha’s Birthday and on full-moon days. Our guide to [Chinese New Year](/culture/chinese-new-year) explains the holiday. Sources: [2][3][4] ## How to visit Jing’an Temple 1. **Take the metro** — Jing’an Temple station, on lines 2, 7 and 14, lies directly beneath the temple. The address is 1686 West Nanjing Road. 2. **Buy a ticket at the gate** — Entry cost ¥50 when our editor last visited. Prices can change, so check at the temple’s own ticket office on the day. 3. **Pick a quiet day** — Avoid the Lunar New Year, the Buddha’s Birthday and full-moon days if you want space to look around; these are the temple’s busiest times. 4. **Walk the halls in order** — Go from the Hall of Heavenly Kings to the silver Buddha in the Mahavira Hall, then to the Guanyin and jade Buddha halls at the sides. 5. **Follow the temple’s customs** — Burn incense only where the temple provides for it and follow the signs on photographs inside the halls; our [temples guide](/culture/buddhism-in-china/temples) has the basics. 6. **Combine it with the area** — Jing’an Park is a short walk away, and the malls of West Nanjing Road surround the temple. Shanghai’s other big city temples are the [Jade Buddha Temple](/culture/buddhism-in-china/temples/jade-buddha-temple) and [Longhua Temple](/culture/buddhism-in-china/temples/longhua-temple). Sources: [1][2][5] ## Questions **How old is Jing’an Temple?** It was first built in 247, under the Wu kingdom of the Three Kingdoms period, beside the Wusong River. It moved to its present site on West Nanjing Road in 1216, and most of today’s halls date from a rebuilding that began in the 1980s. **Where is Jing’an Temple and how do I get there?** At 1686 West Nanjing Road in Jing’an district, central Shanghai. Take the metro to Jing’an Temple station on lines 2, 7 or 14, which lies directly beneath the temple. **How much is a Jing’an Temple ticket?** Entry cost ¥50 when our editor last visited. Prices can change, so check at the temple’s own ticket office on the day; buy tickets only there. **What is Jing’an Temple famous for?** Its golden halls among the skyscrapers of Nanjing Road, a silver Buddha made of 15 tonnes of silver, a 3.87 m seated jade Buddha, a 6.2 m camphor-wood Guanyin and its long history, going back to 247. **What does Jing’an mean?** 静安 (Jìng’ān) means peace and tranquillity, so the name is usually translated ‘Temple of Peace and Tranquillity’. The district of Jing’an is named after the temple. **Why was it called the Bubbling Well Temple?** Because of a natural spring in front of the temple, the Bubbling Well. It was filled in during road building in the late 19th century, rediscovered when Metro Line 2 was built in the late 1990s and restored in 2001. **Is Jing’an Temple a working temple?** Yes. It is an active Buddhist temple of the Tangmi, or Chinese esoteric, tradition, and people come to burn incense and pray as well as to look around. **When is Jing’an Temple busiest?** At the Lunar New Year, on the Buddha’s Birthday (the eighth day of the fourth lunar month) and on full-moon days. Other days are quieter. ## Sources 1. [Wikipedia, Jing’an Temple](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jing%27an_Temple) — accessed 2026-11-01 2. [Wikipedia (Chinese), 静安寺](https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%9D%99%E5%AE%89%E5%AF%BA) — accessed 2026-11-01 3. [Shanghai Daily via Shanghai Municipal Government Information Office, Jing’an Temple remains a treasure in the district that bears its name (10 June 2024)](https://en.shio.gov.cn/TrueCMS/shxwbgs/voices/content/20240610220648110.htm) — accessed 2026-11-01 4. [Lonely Planet, Jing’an Temple](https://www.lonelyplanet.com/points-of-interest/jingan-temple/369583) — accessed 2026-11-01 5. [Study in Shanghai (Shanghai Municipal Education Commission), Jing’an Temple, where Zen meets urban chic (17 July 2025)](https://edu.sh.gov.cn/study_en_news/20250717/e90501807343449cbecd6366778ecee7.html) — accessed 2026-11-01 ## Related - https://popularinchina.com/culture/buddhism-in-china/temples - https://popularinchina.com/culture/buddhism-in-china/temples/shanghai - https://popularinchina.com/culture/buddhism-in-china/temples/jade-buddha-temple - https://popularinchina.com/culture/buddhism-in-china/temples/longhua-temple - https://popularinchina.com/cities/shanghai --- Canonical page: https://popularinchina.com/culture/buddhism-in-china/temples/jingan-temple