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In 1906, three monks visiting from Jiangsu Province on the Chinese mainland founded a monastery located on the Ngong Ping Plateau on Lantau Island.
Named Tai Mao Pung, or “The Big Hut”, it was renamed eighteen years later to it’s current appellation.
Today, Po Lin Monastery, as it is presently known, attracts thousands of visitors each year, in conjunction with the Tian Tan Buddha, an extension of the monastery.
After completing our visit to the Tian Tan Buddha, we languished in the plaza and admired the massive entrance gate for the monastery. Approaching the compound, the first thing we noticed was that it is not just a tourist attraction, but a frequented temple, still maintaining its original character and traditions. Many people were observed paying their respects, praying and lighting incense offerings in the front courtyard of the temple.
Making our way around the complex, we noticed the pristine condition of the grounds and buildings and the artistry of the colorful architecture. There are many pronounced structures, including the Main Hall of Buddha and the Hall of Bodhisattva Skanda, with the older buildings at the rear of the property.
As we approached the main courtyard, we first encountered a smaller temple leading to the main courtyard that faces the Temple Gateway. Inside the temple there are deities and guards safeguarding the entrance.
The Great Hall of Treasure is truly a magnificent structure with breathtaking, high ceilings decorated with paintings, hangings and lamps. Holding court in the center of the Great Hall are three Great Golden Buddhas, which represent Buddha’s past, present and future lives (Sakyamuni, Dipamkarara and Maitreya). Also housed here are a number of Buddhist scriptures. Even the exterior is astonishing with carvings and beautiful architectural details. Take note of the Chinese characters on top of the main temple which spell out Po Lin Monastery or Precious Lotus (a special symbol in Buddhism meaning purity).
In the Hall of Bodhisattva Skanda, we observed a bronze statue of weighing approximately 441 pounds in addition to a 2,200 pound bronze bell.
The most recent structure to be added to the complex is the Hall of Ten Thousand Buddhas, which includes, of course, an impressive number of Buddhas, a shrine hall, a Meditation Hall, an abbot’s chamber, a Scripture Library and other multi-functional facilities for a wide variety of events. An Exhibition Hall for Buddhist relics is also located within which houses many precious items including the Longcang Sutra and the Monk Huayan Preaching Buddhist Sutras (a painting).
The entire complex is awe-inspiring and one should take the proper amount of time to inspect each of the buildings within, discovering minute details at each venue. Photography is not allowed in the main buildings, though we were able to take a few quick photos.
There are a few eateries located near to the monastery’s main buildings as well as reasonably-priced souvenir shops. One thing I learned later, however, was that the monastery is known for making wooden bracelets. They are only sold near the Tian Tan Buddha. I wish I had been privy to this information as we would have purchased a few, to not only subsidize the monastery, but to remember the tranquility experienced here.
You can continue your path to wisdom and enlightenment by taking the Wisdom Path, a short walk from the monastery. Here, is a sort of a colonnade where a series of wooden posts forming a figure eight are engraved with the Heart Sutra, a revered prayer by Buddhists, Taoists and Confucians, which is generally chanted during the morning services or other occasions such a funerals. The path is well-marked and can be accessed from either the monastery or the Big Buddha.
No matter what your religious affiliation, you will certainly appreciate why the Jiangsu Province monks chose this site.
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Po Lin Monastery
- http://www.plm.org.hk/
- Address: Ngong Ping Lantau Island, Hong Kong
- Hours: 1000-1730, daily
- Admission: free
- Getting There: Option 1: Take Lantau Bus No. 23 at the bus station outside Tung Chung MTR Station to Ngong Ping Bus Terminus (travel time: about 45 minutes). Option 2: Take Ngong Ping Cable Car at the Cable Car Station outside Tung Chung MTR Station (travel time: about 25 minutes); take an additional 10-minute walk to the Monastery. Option 3: Take First Ferry from Central Pier to Mui Wo, and take Lantau Bus No.2 to Ngong Ping Bus Terminus (travel time from Mui Wo to Ngong Ping: about 35 minutes). Option 4: Take Lantau Bus No. 21 at the bus stop in Tai O to Ngong Ping Bus Terminus (travel time: about 15 minutes). Option 5: Take a Lantau Island taxi.