The Buddhist temple on Nanjing Road West that gives the Jing'an district its name — jing'an means "tranquil peace" — dates from the 10th century CE though the current structures are reconstructions from the 1980s, restored after the temple was used as a factory during the Cultural Revolution. The temple is surprisingly active as a working religious site given its central location on one of Shanghai's busiest commercial streets.
The gold-roofed main hall and the surrounding complex are open to visitors; worshippers make incense offerings throughout the day. The contrast between the commercial environment outside (Nanjing Road West is lined with luxury brand stores) and the functioning Buddhist interior is one of the more direct experiences of Shanghai's temporal layering. Nanjing Road West at Huashan Road; Metro Jing'an Temple.