Temple a witness to Taoism
(VIVIAN WANG)
09/27/2002
Candles light the entire Baiyun Taoist Temple ceremonial hall where 10 monks dressed in traditional, intricately embroidered and wildly coloured Taoist gowns take turns reading long prayers. As they finish each prayer, they bow towards the altar.This 12-hour Taoist ceremony is performed on the 100th anniversary of the birth of a deceased relative. Descendants wishing to ensure the happiness and wealth of their ancestors in the after-life commission the lengthy rites. Attending rituals like this Taoist ceremony can bring local residents face to face with an intriguing part of Shanghai's history. It was during the Yuan Dynasty (1271 - 1368) that Taoism arrived in Shanghai. According to the "Songjiang Government Record", a Changchun Taoist Temple was built in 1306 to commemorate Qiu Chuji, the founder of the Quanzhen branch of Taoism. In the next 500 years, few activities were held. It was in 1882, in the reign of Emperor Gwang Xu of the Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911) that a Taoist monk named Xu Zhicheng bought 14 hectares of land at Zhaojiabang (now Fangxie Lu). The money used was raised by the Renji charity which was dedicated to the rebuilding of Leizu (Ancestor of Thunder) Hall. The guest hall and the fasting hall were enlarged the following year. In 1888, Abbot Xu transported 8,000 rolls of "Taoist Canon" from Beijing's Baiyun Taoist Temple and, as a prerequisite, the temple changed its name to "Haishang Baiyun Taoist Temple". The temple then became the authority on Taoism in South China. In 1893, with the help of the then president of the Shanghai Trade Union, Chen Runfu, Sanqing Hall, Luzu Hall and Qiuzu Hall were built. The whole temple area was divided into a front palace and a rear palace, each with different styles of architecture. The Baiyun Taoist Temple slumped into a gradual decline in the early 20th century and later suffered major damage in the "cultural revolution" (1966-76) when nearly all its precious paintings and books were destroyed. After 1978, the State and local government placed great emphasis on rebuilding and revitalizing Taoism and the Baiyun Taoist Temple once again returned to its original purpose. It is now headquarters of the Shanghai Taoism Association and the research centre for Taoist culture. The seven bronze statues of the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644) preserved in the temple are unique but the talisman "Taoist Canon" guarding the temple has been transferred to the Shanghai Library. The main Taoist feast days are the birthday of the Heavenly Emperor on January 9 in the Chinese lunar calendar, Tomb-sweeping Day and the Mid-Autumn Festival.
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