Chiyang Daoren, Eastern Taoism
The White Cloud Temple of Shanghai stands at Lane 100, Xilin Back Road (near Dajing Road), Huangpu District, Shanghai. Rebuilt and expanded near its original site between the late 1980s and early 1990s, it is the seat of the Shanghai Taoist Association, the core center of the Quanzhen Longmen lineage in Shanghai, and a famous Taoist temple in the city proper, holding a pivotal place in Shanghai's Taoist culture.
The White Cloud Temple of Shanghai was founded by Master Xu Zhicheng in 1882. After several moves it was named the “White Cloud Temple of Shanghai” (Haishang Baiyun Guan), establishing its line of descent from the White Cloud Temple in Beijing.
Though it stands in a bustling district, the temple is rigorously laid out. Its core halls include the Hall of the Three Pure Ones, the Jade Emperor Hall, and the Lingguan Hall, housing important Taoist deities such as the Three Pure Ones, the God of Wealth, and the Divine Lord Wenchang. It is not only a place where devotees worship and attend ritual assemblies, but also a hub for managing Taoist affairs in Shanghai, training talent, and promoting culture—a key window onto Taoist culture in Shanghai.
The history of the White Cloud Temple of Shanghai goes back to the late Qing dynasty. It was not originally at its present location: it was founded by Master Xu Zhicheng, a native of Haiyan in Zhejiang, in the eighth year of the Guangxu era (1882) at the East Gate of Shanghai (around today's Renmin Road and Middle Fangbang Road). Later it moved several times because of municipal construction and other reasons. In the twelfth year of Guangxu (1886) it moved outside the West Gate of Shanghai. In the nineteenth year of Guangxu (1893) land was bought at the Great South Gate of Shanghai (today's Dajing Road) and the temple was rebuilt there and formally named the “White Cloud Temple of Shanghai,” to show its line of descent from the White Cloud Temple in Beijing (the White Cloud Temple in Beijing is the ancestral court of the Quanzhen Longmen lineage).
The White Cloud Temple of Shanghai belongs to the Quanzhen (Complete Perfection) school of Taoism, specifically the Longmen (Dragon Gate) lineage. The Quanzhen school emphasizes inner alchemy (neidan) and personal spiritual practice; its Taoist priests are generally required to leave home, keep a vegetarian diet, and not marry.
Though it lies in a busy district, the temple is rigorously laid out, secluded, and full of clarity and stillness, in the typical architectural style of Taoist temples and monasteries.
The main halls of the White Cloud Temple of Shanghai include:
The Lingguan Hall: enshrines Marshal Wang Lingguan, the guardian deity of Taoism.
The Jade Emperor Hall: enshrines the Jade Emperor.
The Hall of Lord Lao / Hall of the Three Pure Ones: enshrines the highest deities of Taoism, the Three Pure Ones (the Primordial Heavenly Worthy of Jade Clarity, the Heavenly Worthy of Numinous Treasure of Highest Clarity, and the Heavenly Worthy of the Tao and Its Virtue of Grand Clarity). This is one of the most central halls of any Taoist temple.
The Hall of the God of Wealth: enshrines the God of Wealth, and incense offerings here are usually abundant.
The Hall of Salvation from Suffering: enshrines the Heavenly Worthy Who Saves from Suffering (Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun).
The Wenchang Hall: enshrines the Divine Lord Wenchang, who governs official rank, fame, and emolument.
The Hall of the King of Medicine: enshrines Sun Simiao, the King of Medicine, and others.
There are also other side halls, such as the Dipper Mother Hall and the Hall of Patriarch Lü.
Principal deities: as described above, they include Marshal Wang Lingguan, the Jade Emperor, the Three Pure Ones, Lord Lao the Most High (Taishang Laojun), Zhao Gongming the God of Wealth, the Divine Lord Wenchang, Sun Simiao the King of Medicine, the Heavenly Worthy Who Saves from Suffering, the Dipper Mother (Doumu) Primordial Sovereign, Lü Dongbin, and other important Taoist deities.
The White Cloud Temple of Shanghai holds daily Taoist rites such as the morning and evening liturgy, scripture recitation, and rites of repentance. On important Taoist festivals (such as the Three Primes festivals and the birthdays of immortals and deities) it holds large ritual assemblies for praying for blessings and for the ritual deliverance of the dead.
As the seat of the Shanghai Taoist Association, it carries important responsibilities such as managing and coordinating Taoist affairs in the Shanghai area, training Taoist talent, and conducting exchanges with the outside world. It also carries out some charitable and cultural promotion activities.
The White Cloud Temple of Shanghai is one of the larger and more influential Taoist temples in the Shanghai area. It is an important window for understanding Shanghai's Taoist culture and experiencing Taoist faith, and it enjoys a high reputation among devotees.