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Religious Sights in Shanghai

Shanghai has a deeply religious history, despite being the seat of Communist power during the Chinese Civil War. Churches from the concessions period after the Treaty of Nanking opened Shanghai to Western trade still exist, if not flourish. Meanwhile, Buddhist and Confucian temples are sprinkled throughout the city and draw widely from the city for their congregations.

Starting with Western Churches, the most famous is the beautiful cathedral of St. Ignatius which is located in a beautiful area and is frequented on the major Christian holidays by tourists and expats as well as locals. The Hengshan Community Church is another active Christian Church in Shanghai that has a large following, and for Catholics the Dongjiadu Church is the go-to favorite.

Buddhist temples are, by far, the most common in Shanghai. The Jade Buddha Temple, Jing'an Temple and Long Hua Temple are large, well-respected practicing temples. Here you'll be able to worship as well as grow spiritually. Monks still practice in some of these or else they act as pilgrimage sites. Long lines and thick crowds make these temples places to visit in the off season.

The famous Confucian Temple of Wen Miao is a must-see religious site in Shanghai. Here you'll learn about family piety, respect for your place in life and a general understanding of the Confucian order of the family and society. It isn't uncommon to find fortune tellers milling about outside the temple.

A tour of the Jewish sites in Shanghai is available as well. Many hid in Shanghai during WWII and were held in a one square mile area by the Japanese as 'stateless peoples.' There are many tales of heroism and of people helping the Jewish people confined to these areas in Shanghai. A deeper understanding can be gained via a guided tour of the Shanghai Ghetto, as it became called.