First built in 242 AD, which is during the period of the Three Kingdoms, Longhua Temple is the oldest in Shanghai for its long history of over 1700
years. Besides its long history, Longhua Temple is the largest temple in Shanghai. It occupies an area of over 20,000 square meters (five acres)
and the architectural proportion is about 5,000 square meters (one point two acres). Splendidly
constructed, the temple, till today, still keeps the original feature of Buddhist "chan" sect of the Song
dynasty.

Because of the several destructions by the wars, most of the buildings in Longhua Temple were
reconstructed during the reign of the Emperor Tongzhi and Guangxu in the Qing Dynasty.

Along the 194 meters long (637 feet) axis are the Maitreya Hall (Miledian), Devajara Hall
(Tianwangdian), Mahavira Hall (Daxiongbaodian), Three Sages Hall (Sanshengdian), Abbot's Hall
(Fangzhangshi) and the Sutras Keeping Hall (Cangjinglou) which keeps the three treasures of the
temple including the Dazang sutras, the gold seals and the Buddhist statues.

Longhua Temple is dedicated to the Maitreya Buddha and holds two important Buddha statues. In the Hall of Heavenly Kings, stands a statue of
Maitreya Buddha's Bodhisattva form, while in the Maitreya Hall is a statue of Maitreya Buddha's incarnation known as the "Cloth bag monk".

In other Buddhist temples on the two sides of a hall are either 18 arhats (monks), who preach Buddhism or 20 "guardians of Buddhist Law"
(heavenly beings). However, in the Halls of Longhua Temple, the arhats and "law guardians" stand together.

Accessory halls on the two sides are the Bell Tower and the Drum Tower, both of them are furnished with the
same hexagonal windows and the curved eaves. The whole courtyard was built strictly in the style of traditional
Buddhist symmetry and it's in accordance with the Chinese concept of beauty.

In the front of the temple sits Longhua Pagoda. Said to have been built in 249 A.D, Longhua Pagoda is a 7 storey
octagonal brick tower with a total height of 40.4 meters. Each storey is smaller than the storey below, and all the
levels are encircled by balconies and banisters. Bronze bells are hung on each corner of the eaves; when the
wind blows, the bells yield a pleasant sound. This magnificent and graceful pagoda is one of the best preserved
pagodas in the Shanghai area.