Shanghai temple's historic move completed (3)

The main hall of a 135-year-old temple in Shanghai has been successfully moved 30 meters to the north and lifted one meter to create more space for visitors.

Relocation of the temple started on Sept. 2 and was finished on Sunday. The main hall of the temple has been moved 30.66 meters to the north, within the temple, and elevated 1.05 meters. Buddhist statues and relics in the hall were also moved with the hall.

The Mahavira Hall of Shanghai's Jade Buddha Temple was built in 1882. The temple in downtown Shanghai attracts more than two million visitors a year. Daily visitors can reach as high as 100,000.

Workers pumped cement into the foundation of the hall because the old building's foundation was soft. Statues and other relics in the building were stabilized and protected with frames to avoid damage.

Precise calculation and analysis throughout the process ensured all parts were moved together and evenly, according to Li Yaming, chief engineer of Institute of the Shanghai Architectural Design and Research Company.

Master Jue Xing, abbot of the Jade Buddha Temple and vice president of the Buddhist Association of China, said moving the hall will create more space between buildings and reduce the risk of a stampede as the temple is usually tightly packed.