The temple is an active one, with 70 resident monks at last count. It was built between 1911 and 1918.  The exterior is readily identifiable by the bright saffron walls. Inside, the centerpiece is a 1.9-metre-high white jade Buddha, which was installed here after a monk has brought it from Burma to Zhejiang Province in 1882. The seated Buddha, encrusted with jewels, is said to weigh 1,000 kg. A smaller, reclining Buddha from the same shipment lies on a redwood bed. In the large hall are three gold-plated Buddha's, and other halls house ferocious-looking deities. Artifacts abound, not all on display, and some 7,000 Buddhist sutras line the walls. Also in the precincts is a branch of the Antiques & Curio Store that sells miniature sandalwood drums and gongs, replicas of the large ones used in ceremonies. No photography of the Jade Buddha is permitted, but postcards are available. |
