Temples, Yarn and Burgers

Nov 12

Today dawned the clearest day so far, the sky is an azure blue, the temp rises to about 18 degrees, with an ever so slight cool breeze.

This morning Team Talsma

 join a walking tour group led by Spencer Dodington

  Spencer has lived in China for over 17 years.

The Jing'an Temple (which is about 4 blocks from the Shanghai Tower where we are staying) is one of the most famous temples in Shanghai and in 1983 was put on the list of national protection.

  It was originally built in 247 AD, in 1216 it was moved to its current site.  The temple as it exists now was totally rebuilt in 2004.

There is alot of activity in this temple this morning.  The square is bustling with folks participating in a variety of activities.  Some look as if they are praying,

 holding incense and bowing in all four directions.

 There are paper horse effigies

 intended for a burnt offering in an effort to honor the dead and comfort the living.

Everywhere people are visiting and folding squares of gold and silver colored (Joss) paper which also will be used as a burnt offering to ensure the comfort of the dead in afterlife. 

The Joss paper may be folded into specific shapes which are meant to bring on good luck and people tend to burn lavish amounts to ensure that the offering is well received. 

  The event appears to be quite social!

As in any temple there are many Buddhas. 

  One of the halls houses the biggest pure jade portrait of Sakyamuni in China.

  The jade Buddha has a height of 12 feet, width of 9 feet and weighs 11,000 kg.

Part of a large stone carving:

From the temple we do a walk about of the Shanghai Exhibition Center grounds and notice the abundant greenery street side.

 On our way to the center we walk through a park that Spencer tells us used to be a cemetery.  Burials are no longer allowed in the city of Shanghai as the land has become too valuable.

The Exhibition Center was completed in 1955, it embodies a post-war communist optimism that hadn't yet hardened with the Cold War.  

It was the first international exhibition space to be built after the founding of the Peoples Republic. The building provides a beautiful counterpoint to the surroundings of modern glass towers.

After lunch Bruce drives Charlotte Jyl and I to the yarn markets.  The yarn market consists of rows and rows and rows of open front sheds.  There is yarn of every imaginable color,

 the yarn itself is offered for sale as are garments of every style and size. Custom orders are welcomed.   I am puzzled as to the target market of these vendors, there are very few Caucasians, the area didn't seem to be very busy with customers. 

  Maybe the shops are vendors for buyers of larger shops?

We eventually find our way home and have burgers for dinner at the Gourmet Cafe restaurant downstairs, offering a two for one promotion on Monday evenings. The menu burger choices included items like: The Lamburghni - with lamb tenderloin, The Salmon Rushdie - with grilled salmon, or The Bun Laden with falafel, pita bred and hummus.  I settled for The Blue Moo - black angus beef, blue cheese and balsamic onion jam, it was outstanding!