You are either already subscribed or there was an error
Your entry has been submitted
Sorry, your entry could not be submitted
上海 - Day 6: 七宝 古镇
2008.04.10
Click here to add text
1
Click here to add text
2
Click here to add text
3
Click here to add text
4
Click here to add text
5
Click here to add text
6
Click here to add text
7
Click here to add text
8
Click here to add text
9
Click here to add text
10
Click here to add text
11
Click here to add text
12
Click here to add text
13
Click here to add text
14
Click here to add text
15
Qibao is a lovely ancient water town located in the center of Minhang District, 18 km (11.5 miles) south of downtown Shanghai. The town was built in Northern Song Dynasty (960-1126) and grew into a prosperous business center during Ming (1368-1644) and Qing Dynasties (1644-1911).
Qibao is the Chinese for 'seven treasures' and there are two popular theories about its derivation. The more reliable one says that the name originates from the Qibao Temple, famed for its good reputation. It was this that contributed to the growth of business and culture of the previously unknown town. It’s difficult to say if it was the town that inspired the name of the temple or vice versa. The temple was built to house seven treasures:
1. an iron Buddha flown over from afar
2. a big bronze bell floated from afar
3. a Gold Lotus Scripture written by an imperial concubine of the 10th century
4. a magic 1000 year-old catalpa tree
5. a jade axe
6. a gold cockerel
7. a pair of jade chopsticks
Sadly, the original temple is no longer standing – the current building was built in 2002 – and only two of these treasures remain. According to history, only four of them (the Gold Lotus Scripture, the Big Bell, Magic Tree, Golden Cock) actually once existed while two of the four(the Scripture and the Bell) have survived till today.
