The Langhua Temple Pagoda, located in the southern district of Shanghai, is a famous landmark of the city. The temple itself is among the oldest and largest Buddhist temples in Shanghai. The pagoda is built in close proximity to the Langhua Temple.
It is assumed that the pagoda and the temple were built at the same time, in 247 AD. Then, during the war years, they were destroyed together, later they were rebuilt again - at the same time.
The forty-metre octagonal pagoda consists of 7 tiers and is made of brick and wood. At the corner of each cornice of the pagoda, on all tiers, bells hang, clearly visible even in the distance.
Despite the extraordinary beauty of the Shanghai Pagoda, it has been closed to the public for many decades. The staff explains this by the fact that the pagoda is about two thousand years old. Only constant restorations and numerous reconstructions make it possible to keep this ancient structure in a more or less stable condition until now.
Impossibility to see the inner content of the oldest temple in China has long given it a halo of ghostliness and a kind of mysticism, as a building like and existing, but hiding stubbornly from all its appearance.
However, the external appearance of this multi-level majestic structure, beyond any doubt, worthy of architectural awards and praise! Unusual history, unique nobility of colour, intricate floors-tiers even today make the pagoda extremely attractive for tourists from all over the world!
The temple itself has four main halls. Of these, the most impressive is the so-called Great Hall. This is where the famous gilded Buddha statue is located. The library of the temple is a repository of antiques and art objects, Buddhist sutras and instruments for various ceremonies.
The modern buildings were built in the XIX century. And the reconstruction of the latter was completed in 1979. It preserved the layout, which is a distinctive feature of cultural monuments of the Sun era.
Today, the temple and the pagoda are separated by a road. A large park adjoins the temple fence from the west. The peach orchard belonging to the monastery is also famous among tourists. In spring, when peonies and peach trees blossom among the picturesque stones, an incredible number of tourists flock here, eager to see this stunning harmony of stone and flowers.
