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CHINA | Shanghai, China Travel Guide
Thursday, January 2, 2025
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Xujiahui & Longhua
Xujiahui & Longhua
These predominantly residential and shopping districts have a couple of treats in store – their Buddhist and Christian religious sights, and the wonderfully lush retreat of the Botanical Gardens. It’s a long way from town though and, while the subway line is good for the cathedral, both the temple and the Botanical Gardens are a fairly long walk from the station, so you might be better off in a taxi.
The Botanical Gardens, 111 Longwu Lu. Although a fair trek from downtown Shanghai, the Botanical Gardens make for an excellent day-trip. With over 9,000 plants and a number of ponds, greenhouses and bonsai gardens, this is a great place for a picnic. Families often bring entire toy boxes to entertain the kids while they spend the afternoon eating and playing cards. The gardens also house a great collection of orchids that is sure to impress.
Longhua Temple, 2583 Longhua Lu. With a history dating back nearly 2,000 years, the Longhua Temple is Shanghai’s oldest and one of its most active temples. It’s popular with both locals and tourists and can get very busy, especially during Chinese New Year and the annual Longhua Temple Festival in early April. As with most temples, the original structure has been re-built a number of times and is in excellent condition today. Along with a 1,700-year-old seven-story octagonal pagoda standing 145 feet high, there is a large bell tower containing a 14,000-lb bronze bell, rung only once a year to welcome in the Chinese New Year.
Xujiahui Cathedral, 158 Puxi Lu. This imposing cathedral reflects Xujiahui’s history as the earliest Western community in Shanghai, established by a Chinese Catholic, Pau Xu Guangqi, who invited Jesuits to settle here in the 17th century. The cathedral was built in 1846 and was closed during the Cultural Revolution, but the large congregations at mass are evidence of today’s greater religious freedom. Xu was a dedicated meteorologist and he established a survey center here which is still used as Shanghai’s weather observatory.
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