During the rule of Emperor Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty, Huigen, an abbot from Mount Putuo, went on a pilgrimage to Tibet via the two famous Chinese mountains -- Mount Wutai and Mount Emei. When he arrived in Burma, Chen Jun-Pu, an overseas Chinese resident in Burma, donated five jade Buddha statues to Huigen, who then transported them back to Jiangwan, Shanghai. Before he died, Huigen erected a temple with some donations to house the statues. But during the 1911 Uprising, the temple was occupied and the statues were moved to Maigen Road in Shanghai.

Between 1918 and 1928, an abbot named Ke Chen built a new temple on land donated by a man surnamed Shen. Ke Chen also invited Reverend Di Xian from Tiantai Mountain to give lectures on Buddhism in a magnificent ceremony at the temple.

In 1956, a ceremony was held at the temple by the Shanghai Buddhist Association to celebrate the 2,500th anniversary of Gautama Buddha's enlightenment.

In 1966, during the Cultural Revolution, the temple monks made a living by selling handicrafts.

In 1983, the Shanghai Institute of Buddhism was established at the temple under the Shanghai Buddhist Association.

In 1985, Monk Zhizhi Xuan and others made a trip to Dunhuang via the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Shortly after their return, regular lectures on scripture, meditation and other features of temple life had resumed.

 Inside the temple

The Jade Buddha Temple covers an area of 19.4 mu (1.3 hectares) and many buildings are located along its central axis, such as the Grand Screen Wall , the Hall of the Four Deva-King, the Great Shrine Hall and the Abbot's Office. From the East Gate is the Shanghai Buddhist Association, Avalokitesvara Hall, Shanghai Institute of Buddhism, Meditation Hall, Wuguan Hall and Vegetarian Restaurant; along the West Gate is the Reception House, Temple Affairs Office, Storeroom, Bronze Buddha Hall, Reclining Buddha Hall, Shop of Buddhist Articles, Guesthouse and Lezhi Hall, etc.

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