ThetemplewasoriginallycalledWanshouTemplebeforemonkShiYong’anrefurbishedandrenameditZhenruYuan.DuringtheYuanDynastythemonkShiMiaoxinmoveditfromGuanchangtoTaopu,itspresentsite,andrenameditZhenruTemple,afterwhichitbecamemorefamous.Thenameof“Zhenru”comesfromtheBuddhistsutraVijnaptimatratasiddhisastra,whichmeansastrueasusual.
AfterbeingexpandedtwotimesintheMingDynasty(1368-1644),onceintheHongwuperiod(1368-1398)andagainintheHongzhiperiod(1488-1505),thetemplebecamethebestofitskindnationwide.However,fromthereignofEmperorXianfeng(1851-1861)totheChinesePeople’sWarofResistanceagainstJapaneseAggression(19311945),itwasdevastatedbytheturmoilofwarseveraltimesandsufferedseveredamage.Throughthisperiodonlythemainhallsurvived,butwasinpoorcondition.AfterthefoundingofthePeople’sRepublicofChina,thegovernment,whileworkingincollaborationwithbothdomesticandoverseasmonks,extendedhugesupporttorestoringthisnationalandculturaltreasure.Inatimespanofseveralyears:theHallofHeavenlyKingswasrebuilt;TheYuantongHallwasrepairedandafour-facedavalokiteshvarastatueofwhitemarblewasplacedinside;aprayerhallwasbuiltforworshipingtheBuddha.In1998anine-levelpagodaintheSongDynastystylewascompleted;andotherreconstructioneffortswerealsoexecuted.TheZhenruTemplehasonceagainbecomeapopulardestinationinShanghai,withitstoweringpagodaandhallowedhallsofBuddhistfaith.
Therevivalnotonlycametothetemple,butalsotothe6.16squarekilometersZhenrucitysub-center,whichisnowtheshiningstaroftheorient.AplanningvisualizationofZhenruSub-centerinShanghai.InnovativePlanning
InthemasterplanofShanghai(19992020),Zhenru,togetherwithXujiahui,WujiaochangandHuamu,islistedasthecity’sfoursub-centers.
TheZhenrusub-centerboastsadvantagesoffavorablelocation,convenienttransportation,advancedplanning,andrichculturalheritage.WiththeShanghaiWestRailwayStation,otherpositionaladvantages,andplentyofland,theZhenrusub-centerwilldevelopintoaservicecentercoveringtheYangtzeRiverDeltaandserveasacenterforpubliceventsinnorthwesternShanghai.
WiththeguidanceofthelatestmasterplanforShanghai(2017-2035),theguidingprinciplesofthe19thNationalCongressoftheCPC,andthephilosophyoffocusingoninnovation,humanism,andecology,theZhenrusub-centerwillcontinuewithitseffortstowardsbeingaservicecenterforthewholecityandasub-centerforaworld-leadingmodernsocialistmetropolitan.
Attherequestsofthecentralandmunicipalgovernments,PutuoDistrict,takingintoconsiderationitsownandZhenru’sconditions,hasestablishedaninnovativedevelopmentplan.Differentfromothersub-centers,Zhenruwillhaveitsowndistinctivefeatures.Integratingtheworld’sadvancedurbanconstructionphilosophiesandsophisticatedurbansystems,Zhenrusubcenterhasformulatedgreenconstructionstandardsandadoptedforwardlookingplansandhighstandardsforplanningandconstruction.Avisionarymasterplanfortheregionhasbeensetup,withfocusoninnovationclusterandindustry-cityintegration.
Afterthe19thNationalCongressoftheCPC,adjustingtothenewconditions,PutuoDistricthasadoptedaphilosophyofgreen,open,sharedandinnovativedevelopmentwithfocusonecology,culture,openingandsharing,andtechologicalinnovation.TheZhenruSub-centerActionPlan20172021wasintroducedtoguidethedevelopmentofthesub-centerinordertoutilizeitslate-comeradvantageanddistinguishitfromothersub-centers.
ThelatestmasterplanforZhenruemphasizesculture,ecology,andinnovation.Intermsofculture,ZhenruisoneofthefourfamoustownsinnorthernShanghai(theotherthreeLuodian,DachangandNanxiang).WithlongWuandYueculturaltraditions,precioustangibleandintangibleculturalheritagesitessuchastheZhenruTempleandtheancientZhenruTown,itwillbepreservedtopassdownthehistoryandcultureofthepeopleaswellasthelocalecologicalcultureoftheancientginkgotrees.ZhenruHarborandLiyuanbangwillalsobeprotectedwiththeaimofpromotingandrebuildingtheseregionalculturalareasandtheirrelatedtraditions.Intermsofecology,theZhenruecologicalgreencorridor(sixkmlongand130-150meterswide),whichispresentlybeingdeveloped,willbecomethelongestinShanghai.Itsconstructionwillcontributetotheopen,greenandlivableenvironmentandenhanceZhenru’shealthy,dynamicandculturalimagebycombiningecologicalrestoration,outdooractivities,andurbanculture.Itwillbecomeahubforcultural,sporting,andleisureactivities.Intermsofinnovation,tocontributetoPutuo’sfunctionallayoutof“oneaxisandtwowings,”theZhenrusub-centerwillformsynergywiththeTaopuregiontoenhanceinnovativedevelopmentandtoformademonstrationcorridorforcitytransformation.AfolkartperformanceinZhenruTown.ACenterofCultureandCommerce
HumantracesinZhenrudatebacktoasearlyasthefifthandsixthcentury.Theregionisconnectedwithdensewaterways,makingitatypicalriversidetownoftheYangtzeRiverDelta.In1320,ZhenruYuanwasmovedtothevicinityofTaopuandrenamedZhenruTemple.Thisbroughtaboutmassivedevelopmenttotheregion.Aslargeamountsofpeoplemigratedhere,businessandcommerceflourished.Becauseofthetemple,theregionwasnamedZhenru.BeforetheYuanDynasty,peopleusedtocallthisregionTaoxi.ThenameTaoxicameintobeinginasearlyastheperiodoftheFiveDynastiesandTenKingdoms(907-960),whenJiangsu,Shanghai,andZhejiangwereruledbytheWuandYuekingdoms.Therulersbegantodig36canalsalongtheWusongRiverfromSuzhoutothesea.Taopu,traversingtheancienttownfromthesouthtothenorth,wasoneofthe36waterways.Sincepeachtreeswereplantedalongthiswaterway,peoplecalleditTaoxi(riverofpeach).
ValuableculturalheritageispreservedinZhenrutothisday.ThreeexamplesoftheseculturaltreasuresareZhenrumutton,soybeanproducts,andtheDucloth.TheyarestillpopularwiththeShanghaipeople,ofwhichthemuttonisthemostrenowned.AccordingtoTheChronologyofZhenru,“…duringtheyearsofQingEmperorQianlongat3:30ameverymorning,peasantsstartedtheirmorningdrinkatteahouses;ataround4:30am,theywouldorderadishofmuttonandsomeliquor;theywouldfinishbreakfastwithnoodlesinmuttonsoupandthengotothefieldsandwork.”Initsheyday200yearsago,therewereover30muttonrestaurantsintheoldstreetalone.InJune2007,ZhenrumuttonprocessingmethodwaslistedinthecatalogueofintangibleculturalheritageofShanghai.
ThestoriesofcouragedemonstratedbythepeopleofZhenruarealsonoteworthy,particularlytheircontributiontostoppingJapaneseaggressionandtheireffortstoresistU.S.aggressionandaidKorea.OntheeveningofJanuary28,1932,JapanesemarinecorpsassaultedtheZhabeiregionofShanghai.The19thRouteArmyoftheRepublicofChina’sRevolutionaryArmyfoughtback,andtheShanghaiBattlebegan.Thecommanderofthe19thRouteArmy,CaiTingkai,setupatemporarycommandatFanzhuang,leadinghistroopsina33daybattlewiththeJapanesearmyandcausingtheJapaneseheavylosses.ThetemporarycommandwasdestroyedbytheJapaneseonAugust3,1937.In1989,thePutuoDistrictGovernmentofShanghaiapprovedthisbattlerelictobeawarmemorial.
In2013,attheTongchuanAquaticProductsMarket,consumerswerequiteamazedtofindtheinternationallyfamousstarNicolasCageamongthem.However,theshopownerswerenotsurprisedatall.Thismarketisvisitedbymanyfamousstars.NotfarawayfromtheaquaticmarketliestheShanhuaFruitsMarket,whichusedtobethelargestineasternChina,andwasonceatouristattractiontobothdomesticandforeignvisitors.It’sfairtosaythattheproducetradeinZhenruhasmadeanimportantcontributiontosupplyingnon-staplefoodtoresidentsinShanghaiandeventhewholecountry.ThecommercialvalueofZhenruhasriseninaccordance;rentalofthemostexpensiveshopofShanhuaFruitsMarketin2015wasevenhigherthanthatoftheWheelockSquareinJing’anDistrict.
However,thespeedatwhichShanghaidevelopsisalwayssurprising.Theoncesought-aftermodeofbusinessisnotabletokeeppacewithShanghai’sspeed.Alongwiththetransformationandupgradingofmodesofbusiness,primary-levelcommerciallogisticsareallgone,leavingararelargepieceoflandindowntownShanghaiavailable.ThislandisZhenru’spreciousresourcefortransformationandhasalreadyattractedinvestmentfromfamousinternationalcorporationslikeCheungKongHoldings,GreenlandandFosun.TopinternationaldesigncompanieslikeHentrich-Petschnigg&PartnerGmbH+Co.KG,EnneadArchitectsandGenslerviedtobidforthe39hectaresoflandinHongqiVillagein2017.
ARegionalServiceCenter
OnthenortheasternsideofTongchuanRoadandCaoyangRoad,anover300-meter-highskyscraperisbeingbuilt.InfrontofitistheconstructionsiteofLine14Subway,whichhasalreadyextendedto25metersbelowthegroundandwillbebuiltintoafourlayersystem.Thisdepthhasbrokenthe24-meterrecordoftheShanghaiWestRailwayStation,whichisalsolocatedinZhenru.
ShanghaiWestRailwayStation,completedin2014,isthemostmodernizedurbantransportationhubinnorthwesternShanghai,andisconvenientlyconnectedtodepotsofrailtransit,busesandtaxis.ItscompletionhasmadeZhenruamodelofintegratingthesubcenterwithatransportationhub.Regardingrailtransit,Line7andLine11,whicharealreadyinoperation,andLine14andLine15,whichareunderconstruction,andLine20,whichisbeingplanned,willcovereverypartofthe6.16squarekilometersofZhenru.
What’smoreexcitingistherenovationprojectofHongqiVillage.Itaimstobecomeapilotregionforinnovationdriventransformationandanecologicalareaforresidentsandbusiness,especiallystart-ups.Itfollowsadvancedurbandevelopmentphilosophiesofintegratingindustrieswithcities,lowcarbongreendevelopment,andhumanizedurbandesign.Thethreehighlights“smartinnovationcity,energyconservationandenvironmentalprotection,andindustries”willcontributetosocioeconomicdevelopmentandpeoples’livelihoodintheregion.
The“smartinnovationcity”willshoulderimportanturbanoperationfunctions,anditsdesignwillbefocusedonsmarttechnologyandinnovation.Intelligentcomputingtechnologieswillmakeurbanmanagement,communityservice,propertymanagement,regionalpassengertraffic,publicutilities,andpublicsecuritymoreconnected,efficient,andintelligent.BIMtechnologiesandTODmodelwillmakehighlyintensedevelopmentwithincertainareaspossible,allowingformoregreenlandsandopenspaces,whilepromotingcityvitalityandefficiency.Toenhancepublicservicesandpromotedecision-makingefficiency,aclouddatacenterwillbebuilt,utilizingInternet,andInternetofThingstocollectandtransmitdataandothervariousinformationofthecity.Suchinformationwillbeanalyzed,sharedand,whenpossible,integrated.
Greendevelopmentandenvironmentalprotectionisthesecondhighlight.PresidentXiJinpinghassaidonseveraloccasionsthat“agoodecologicalenvironmentisabenefitforall,andlucidriversandlushmountainsareinvaluableassets.”Harmoniousco-existencebetweenhumanbeingsandnatureisgiventoppriorityintheHongqiVillageproject,withawaterwayandagreencorridorbeingplanned.Intheregioncircledbythewaterwayandcorridor,acentralislandwillbebuilt,whichwillcontainfunctionsforbusiness,residence,shopping,entertainment,andculturalactivities.Thepedestrianpathwillconnectwithaparkof500-year-oldginkgotrees,theWatersidePark,WhiteMagnoliaPark,CitizenCenterandElitePlaza.Theregion’sdevelopmentwillensurethebuildingsaredelightful,thestreetsarewalkable,theparksaretranquil,andthatthecityishumaneandinviting.
Thethirdhighlightwillbeindustrycityintegration,whichisaninherentrequestoftheregion.Withthephilosophyof“workingforliving,workingislivingandworkingcreatesliving,”Zhenrugovernmentworkstocreateamodelforintegratingproduction,living,andecologicaldevelopment.Fourfunctionalregionsfortechinnovation,interaction,leisure,andsupportingfacilitieswillbecombinedintoone.Therewillbethreecores:super-highofficebuildingsandcommercial-culturalmalls,supportingfacilities(apartmentbuildings,officebuildingsandpublicservicefacilities),andhigh-endresidences(high-risebuildingswithlandscapeviews).Buildingsforcommerce,officesandresidencesaswellasplazaswillbebuiltalongthecentralpark.Inthisway,thecitywillbeabletoshowcaselimitlessvitality.Preferentialpolicieswillbeintroducedtoattracthigh-calibertalentstomakebusinessstart-upsflourish.Throughattractingfactorsofproductionandgoodspatiallayout,anindustrialchainforscientificandtechnologicalinnovationwillbenurtured.
Greatcausesalwaysrequireenduringefforts.ThankstoconcertedeffortsoftheCPCmunicipalcommitteeandthemunicipalgovernmentofShanghai,theCPCcommitteeandgovernmentofZhenruDistrictandpeopleacrossthecity,HongqiVillageandZhenrusubcenterasawholehaveenteredafasttrackoftransformativedevelopment.Zhenruwillgeneratemoresocialbenefits,createconsiderablemiddle-andhigh-endjobs,optimizeitsindustrialstructure,contributetothedevelopmentofShanghai,andbecomeaservicecenterintheYangtzeRiverDeltainthenearfuture.
AsthepasthistoricalglamourreturnstoZhenru,itwillcastitsgloriousradianceovertheorientoncemore.C
HULIGANGisPartySecretaryandchairmanofZhonghuanGroup.