Where do I start with Shanghai? Like Beijing, the city is stock full of people, but in Shanghai, you are also surrounded by the skyscrapers and lights of a modern city. And, while it seemed to be the city that embraced everything new, bigger and better, you could be walking down a street and stumble upon something old, like with the Jade Buddha Temple, reminding you of the countries history.

View of Pudong from the Bund - you can see the Bottle Opener, the tallest building in Shanghai in the back

View of the highway from our hotel

Another example of new meets old was the Yu Gardens. It is modern shopping set in old buildings, and not just modern knick knacks like shot glasses and magnets. Within a few blocks, we found a Starbucks and Dairy Queen. I felt a little silly visiting the DQ, but was happy to give in to a Blizzard craving with a Mississippi Mud Pie blizzard. We shopped for jade, abacuses, local art and walked away empty handed. Too many people, too much haggling for my taste.

See the Texas stop sign (aka DQ) in the back? There was another one just outside the shopping area

Then, after all the commercialism and craziness in the shopping centre, you escape into the gardens themselves and tranquility descends. It was originally built during the Ming Dynasty for a government official in his retirement. While it wasn't kept up over the ages, it was restored in the 1950's and has been opened to the public to enjoy their own type of retirement - an escape from the bustle of Shanghai - for a small fee. Perfect for us to relax after a typical night out Shanghai style karaoke-ing at K-TV.

Tea house in the middle of Yu Gardens

While we wandered among the gardens, you did not hear the sounds of Shanghai. You did not see the crowds of people (minus the tourists, which may be more substantial in the summer). You did not see technology. Just lakes, koi, rockeries and pagodas. So we wandered, sat, then wandered some more until it was time to find our way back out into the city for one last night of Shanghai debauchery til we headed back to London.

Inside Yu Gardens

In Beijing, we went to several temples. I never really thought about the fact that they weren't really temples any more, and never really connected them to religion in China.

Then we headed off to Shanghai, where I was busy with work and figured I would see nothing.

But, I managed to squeeze in a thing or two. And one of the things that Paul and I did on our own was the Jade Buddha Temple.

Despite everything, I have to say that this was one of my favorite things about Shanghai. It was the epitome of old meets new.

The history of the temple itself isn't actually that old. It was built in the late 1800's during the Qing Dynasty to house 2 jade Buddhas that were brought from Burma. After being re-built in the 1920's, it remains an active temple today.



Upon walking in, you see evidence of its current use. Individuals are lighting incense and candles, expressing prayers to Buddha. Behind the temple, you see the high rises of Shanghai, making you feel like you stepped out of the big city into a little haven hidden within its midst.

We first walked into the Great Hall, the most exquisite of the halls. When you first walk in, you see the Three Golden Buddhas. The hall is lined on either side with Gods of the Twenty Heavens. In front are rows of cushions for kneeling in prayer. It was nothing like I had ever seen before. We enjoyed taking a few minutes to stand there in awe.



Next, we sent to see the famous Jade Buddhas. It is an extra cost to go check out these relics and no pictures, but worth the few bucks. The hall where the first Buddha is held is lined with tiny golden statues, helping to make the Buddha itself more impressive.


After wandering through the rooms and shops, we headed towards the back of the temple complex.  Here, we found a koi pond, perfect for sitting and observing, or if you were so inclined, some fish feeding. And so we sat, soaked up the sun, reveled in it all and prepared to head back to the city streets of Shanghai.