Po Lin Monastery

Po Lin Monastery is a Buddhist monastery, located on Ngong Ping Plateau, on Lantau Island, Hong Kong.

Po Lin Monastery
寶蓮禪寺
Po Lin Monastery exterior
Location within Hong Kong
Monastery information
Established1906
Dedicated toGuanyin
Site
LocationLantau Island
Coordinates22.25551°N 113.90789°E / 22.25551; 113.90789
WebsiteOfficial website
Po Lin Monastery
Traditional Chinese寶蓮禪寺
Simplified Chinese宝莲禅寺
Literal meaningPrecious Lotus Zen Temple

The monastery was founded in 1906 by three monks visiting from Jiangsu Province on the Chinese mainland and was initially known simply as "The Big Hut" (大茅蓬 Tai Mao Pung). It was renamed to its present name in 1924. The main temple houses three bronze statues of the Buddha – representing his past, present and future lives – as well as many Buddhist scriptures.

Po Lin Monastery main temple (note map of full site in photo)
Po Lin Monastery interior

Tian Tan Buddha, a giant Buddha statue completed in 1993, is an extension of the monastery.

The Ngong Ping 360, consisting of the Ngong Ping village and a gondola lift running between Tung Chung and Ngong Ping, was built near to the Po Lin Monastery. The monastery boasts many prominent architectural structures, such as the Main Shrine Hall of Buddha, the Hall of Bodhisattva Skanda.[1]

This monastery is also noted for making wooden bracelets that are only sold near the Tian Tan Buddha statue.

In 1918, three nuns ordained at this monastery established a private nunnery called Chi Chuk Lam (紫竹林) on Lantau's Lower Keung Hill (下羌山). The nunnery is dedicated to Guanyin, the Goddess of Mercy. There were about 20 jushi and nuns residing there in the 1950s, but now only an elderly abbess remains.[2]

See also

References
  1. Po Lin Monastery Po Lin Monastery
  2. HK Leisure and Cultural Services Dep't. "Historic Building Appraisal" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-10-17.
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