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Yunxiang Temple, the only mid-Tang Dynasty style temple in Shanghai, located in Nanxiang Town, Jiading District.
Constructed in 505 AD, it boasts a history of 1,499 years, which is even older than Nanxiang Town itself, witnessing many ups and downs through various feudal dynasties.
The temple was originally named White Crane Nanxiang Temple. During Emperor Kangxi's reign (1662-1722), the temple was expanded to 12 hectares and renamed Yunxiang Temple.
The temple was recently opened to the public after a four-year renovation project, involving a construction area of 8,000 square meters. The renovation, based on its style in the mid-Tang Dynastry, was financed mainly by donations from Buddhists from home and abroad.
The architecture of the entire temple complex was tastefully adapted to mid-Tang style, characterized by stable and balanced proportions and by an emphasis on structure over ornamentation.
The quiet and tranquil setting of the temple makes it an ideal spot to navigate the various corridors and small botanic gardens. A vertical 'worshipping line' goes throughout the elaborately designed complex, which connects Sanmen Hall, Guanyin Hall, and the Precious Hall of the Great Hero.
Visitors will also see monks carrying books and wandering through the corridors. With their shaved heads, the men are clothed in yellow gowns and dark cloth shoes.
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