---
title: "Temples in Shanghai: the Buddhist temples worth visiting, and the Taoist ones too"
url: https://popularinchina.com/culture/buddhism-in-china/temples/shanghai
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/shanghai
---

# Temples in Shanghai: the Buddhist temples worth visiting, and the Taoist ones too

_Shanghai is better known for skyscrapers than temples, but it has Buddhist sites going back to the third century by tradition, a Yuan-dynasty hall and a cluster of Song-dynasty pagodas in its suburbs. Here are the temples worth knowing, where they are and what each is known for, with the city’s main Taoist and Confucian temples in a separate table._

**Verdict: Three big city temples, and more beyond** (上海寺庙) — Jing’an, the Jade Buddha Temple and Longhua are the big three; Zhenru and Songjiang reward a longer trip

## Short answer

The best-known temples in Shanghai are Jing’an Temple on West Nanjing Road, the Jade Buddha Temple in Putuo and Longhua Temple in Xuhui, with its 40.4 m pagoda. All three are working Buddhist temples near metro stations. For older buildings, go to Zhenru Temple’s 1320 hall or the Song-dynasty pagodas of Songjiang.

## At a glance

- **In Chinese:** 上海寺庙 (Shànghǎi sìmiào); a Buddhist temple is 寺 (sì), a Taoist one 观 (guàn) or 庙 (miào)
- **Big three:** Jing’an Temple, the Jade Buddha Temple and Longhua Temple
- **Oldest by tradition:** Longhua (242) and Jing’an (247), both said to date from the Three Kingdoms period
- **Oldest hall:** Zhenru Temple’s Mahavira Hall, completed in 1320
- **Best pagodas:** Longhua Pagoda (40.4 m) in Xuhui; the Yuanying (46.5 m) and Square pagodas in Songjiang
- **Taoist landmark:** The City God Temple by Yu Garden, a City God temple since 1403

## Buddhist temples in Shanghai

The main Buddhist temples and temple pagodas in Shanghai, from the city centre to the suburbs. Temples with their own guide are linked. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]

| Temple | Chinese | District | Known for |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Jing’an Temple](/culture/buddhism-in-china/temples/jingan-temple) | 静安寺 Jìng’ān Sì | Jing’an | First built in 247; golden halls on West Nanjing Road, a 15-tonne silver Buddha and a 3.87 m jade Buddha |
| [Jade Buddha Temple](/culture/buddhism-in-china/temples/jade-buddha-temple) | 玉佛禅寺 Yùfó Chán Sì | Putuo | Founded in 1882 for jade Buddhas brought from Burma; the seated one is 1.95 m high |
| [Longhua Temple](/culture/buddhism-in-china/temples/longhua-temple) | 龙华寺 Lónghuá Sì | Xuhui | The plan of a Song-dynasty Chan monastery, the 40.4 m Longhua Pagoda and the New Year’s Eve bell |
| Zhenru Temple | 真如寺 Zhēnrú Sì | Putuo | A Mahavira Hall completed in 1320, in the Yuan dynasty, and a 2.18 m jade Shakyamuni |
| Chenxiang Pavilion | 沉香阁 Chénxiāng Gé | Huangpu | A Chan nunnery, first founded in 1600, known for its Guanyin statue |
| Xilin Chan Temple | 西林禅寺 Xīlín Chán Sì | Songjiang | Founded in 872; its Song-dynasty Yuanying Pagoda is seven storeys and 46.5 m high |
| Square Pagoda of Xingshengjiao Temple | 兴圣教寺塔 Xīngshèngjiào Sì Tǎ, or 方塔 Fāngtǎ | Songjiang | A Northern Song pagoda of 1068–1077, the only surviving part of its temple, with 177 ancient bracket sets |
| Donglin Temple | 东林寺 Dōnglín Sì | Jinshan | Founded in 1308; a gilded thousand-armed Guanyin about 27 m tall in the main hall |

## Taoist and Confucian temples in Shanghai

Not Buddhist, but often what visitors mean by ‘temples in Shanghai’. Our [temples guide](/culture/buddhism-in-china/temples) explains how to tell a Buddhist temple from a Taoist one. [10][11][12][13][14][15]

| Temple | Chinese | District | Known for |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| City God Temple (Taoist) | 上海城隍庙 Shànghǎi Chénghuáng Miào | Old City, next to Yu Garden | A City God temple since 1403, honouring Huo Guang, Qin Yubo and Chen Huacheng; reconsecrated in 2006 after restoration |
| White Cloud Temple (Taoist) | 白云观 Báiyún Guàn | Old City, by the remains of the city wall | A Quanzhen Taoist temple on its present site since 1882, and the seat of the Shanghai Taoist Association |
| Qinci Yangdian (Taoist) | 钦赐仰殿 Qīncì Yǎngdiàn | Pudong | A Taoist temple traced by tradition to the Three Kingdoms, with a Hall of the Three Pure Ones about 18 m high |
| Shanghai Confucian Temple (Confucian) | 上海文庙 Shànghǎi Wénmiào | Huangpu | First founded in the Yuan dynasty; a Sunday book market is held there |
| Jiading Confucian Temple (Confucian) | 嘉定孔庙 Jiādìng Kǒngmiào | Jiading | Founded in 1219; Shanghai’s largest surviving ancient building complex, now home to the Museum of Chinese Imperial Examinations |

## Five temples worth the trip

**[Jing’an Temple](/culture/buddhism-in-china/temples/jingan-temple)** is the one most visitors see first: a gold-roofed temple among the malls of West Nanjing Road, with Jing’an Temple metro station beneath it. It was first built in 247 and moved to its present site in 1216.

**The [Jade Buddha Temple](/culture/buddhism-in-china/temples/jade-buddha-temple)** was founded in 1882 by the monk Huigen to house jade Buddhas from Burma. Its two jade Buddhas, one seated and one reclining, are the reason to go; it is also known for its vegetarian noodles.

**[Longhua Temple](/culture/buddhism-in-china/temples/longhua-temple)**, in Xuhui, keeps the plan of a Song-dynasty Chan monastery, with five halls on one axis. Its seven-storey, 40.4 m pagoda has a brick body dating from 977, and its bell is struck 108 times on New Year’s Eve.

**Zhenru Temple**, in Putuo, is quieter but has the oldest hall: its Mahavira Hall was completed in 1320, under the Yuan dynasty, and holds a jade Shakyamuni 2.18 m tall.

**Songjiang**, in the suburbs, has two of Shanghai’s finest old pagodas: the 46.5 m Yuanying Pagoda at Xilin Chan Temple, built in memory of the Chan master Yuanying, and the Northern Song Square Pagoda, now the centrepiece of Fangta Garden. See our guide to [Chinese pagodas](/culture/buddhism-in-china/pagodas).

Sources: [1][2][3][5][6][8][9]

## How to plan a temple visit in Shanghai

1. **Start with the city-centre temples** — Jing’an Temple sits on top of Jing’an Temple station (lines 2, 7 and 14); the Jade Buddha Temple is about 500 m from Jiangning Road station on line 13; Longhua Temple is near Longhua station on lines 11 and 12.
2. **Walk the old city** — The City God Temple by Yu Garden, Chenxiang Pavilion, the White Cloud Temple and the Confucian Temple on Wenmiao Road are close together in and around Shanghai’s old city, so they make a walk.
3. **Make a day of Songjiang** — Xilin Chan Temple and the Square Pagoda in Fangta Garden are both in old Songjiang town; the Jiading Confucian Temple makes a similar half-day trip from the centre.
4. **Time it for a festival** — Longhua rings its bell 108 times on New Year’s Eve and holds its temple fair in spring. On Chinese New Year’s Eve, temples across the suburbs, such as Donglin in Jinshan, hold their own bell-striking.
5. **Buy tickets only at the temple** — Some temples, such as the Jade Buddha Temple, ask visitors to buy tickets only at their own ticket office. Follow each temple’s rules on incense and photographs.

Sources: [1][2][3][6][9][10][12][15][16][17][18]

## Questions

**What is the most famous temple in Shanghai?**

Jing’an Temple, the gold-roofed temple on West Nanjing Road, is the best known to visitors, along with the Jade Buddha Temple and Longhua Temple. All three are working Buddhist temples near metro stations.

**What is the oldest temple in Shanghai?**

By tradition, Longhua Temple (242) and Jing’an Temple (247), both from the Three Kingdoms period, though neither has buildings that old. The oldest surviving temple hall is Zhenru Temple’s Mahavira Hall, completed in 1320.

**Which temple in Shanghai has the jade Buddha?**

The Jade Buddha Temple in Putuo district has two jade Buddhas brought from Burma, a 1.95 m seated Buddha and a reclining Buddha. Jing’an Temple and Zhenru Temple also have large jade Buddhas, 3.87 m and 2.18 m tall.

**Are there Taoist temples in Shanghai?**

Yes. The best known is the City God Temple by Yu Garden. The White Cloud Temple in the old city is the seat of the Shanghai Taoist Association, and Qinci Yangdian is in Pudong.

**Where can I hear temple bells at New Year in Shanghai?**

Longhua Temple strikes its great bell 108 times on the night of 31 December. On Chinese New Year’s Eve, several suburban temples, including Donglin Temple in Jinshan, hold bell-striking ceremonies.

**Which Shanghai temples have pagodas?**

Longhua Temple has the 40.4 m Longhua Pagoda; Jing’an Temple completed a new pagoda in 2010. In Songjiang, Xilin Chan Temple has the 46.5 m Yuanying Pagoda, and the Square Pagoda survives from Xingshengjiao Temple.

**Can you visit Shanghai temples in one day?**

The three city-centre temples, Jing’an, the Jade Buddha Temple and Longhua, are all near metro stations, so you can see them in a day. Songjiang and Jiading are better as separate trips.

## Sources

1. [Wikipedia, Jing’an Temple](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jing%27an_Temple) — accessed 2026-11-01
2. [Wikipedia, Jade Buddha Temple](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jade_Buddha_Temple) — accessed 2026-11-01
3. [Wikipedia, Longhua Temple](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longhua_Temple) — accessed 2026-11-01
4. [Wikipedia, Chenxiang Pavilion](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chenxiang_Pavilion) — accessed 2026-11-01
5. [Wikipedia, Zhenru Temple (Shanghai)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhenru_Temple_(Shanghai)) — accessed 2026-11-01
6. [Wikipedia, Xilin Chan Temple](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xilin_Chan_Temple) — accessed 2026-11-01
7. [Wikipedia, Donglin Temple (Shanghai)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donglin_Temple_(Shanghai)) — accessed 2026-11-01
8. [Wikipedia, Songjiang Square Pagoda](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Songjiang_Square_Pagoda) — accessed 2026-11-01
9. [Shanghai International Service Portal, Guardian of time: Explore Shanghai’s ancient pagodas (I) (updated 24 October 2025)](https://english.shanghai.gov.cn/en-ScenicSpots/20240823/5633cdee571e4140a7dabdd4fc240dc1.html) — accessed 2026-11-01
10. [Wikipedia, Shanghai City God Temple](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shanghai_City_God_Temple) — accessed 2026-11-01
11. [Daoinfo, White Cloud Temple (Xuanmiaoguan), Shanghai](https://en.daoinfo.org/wiki/White_Cloud_Temple_(Xuanmiaoguan)_,_Shanghai) — accessed 2026-11-01
12. [Daoinfo, Hall of Respect Granted by His Majesty (Qinci Yangdian)](https://en.daoinfo.org/wiki/Hall_of_Respect_Granted_by_His_Majesty) — accessed 2026-11-01
13. [Wikipedia, Shanghai Confucian Temple](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shanghai_Confucian_Temple) — accessed 2026-11-01
14. [Shanghai International Service Portal, Jiading Confucian Temple returns with new look (26 September 2024)](https://english.shanghai.gov.cn/en-CultureHeritage/20240926/91268794b2dd40a1b715e90c86498634.html) — accessed 2026-11-01
15. [SmartShanghai, Nine temples of Shanghai (26 October 2020)](https://www.smartshanghai.com/articles/travel/nine-temples-of-shanghai) — accessed 2026-11-01
16. [Jade Buddha Temple, Shanghai (official site), Introduction](https://www.yufotemple.com/en/view/847) — accessed 2026-11-01
17. [Wikipedia, Longhua station (Shanghai Metro)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longhua_station_(Shanghai_Metro)) — accessed 2026-11-01
18. [Shanghai International Service Portal, Bell-striking activities for Chinese New Year celebrations (10 January 2025)](https://english.shanghai.gov.cn/en-FestivalsCelebrations/20250110/1a1d75a6afa94b34b061af9584c676f1.html) — accessed 2026-11-01

## Related

- https://popularinchina.com/culture/buddhism-in-china/temples
- https://popularinchina.com/culture/buddhism-in-china/temples/jingan-temple
- 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/shanghai