Po Lin Monastery

Po Lin Monastery
File:Po Lin Monastery 2.jpg Po Lin Monastery exterior
Traditional Chinese	寶蓮禪寺
Simplified Chinese	宝莲禅寺
Literal meaning	Precious Lotus Zen Temple
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Bǎolián Chánsì

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

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.

File:Po Lin Monastery exterior.jpg

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

File:Po Lin interior IMG 2431.JPG

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.

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.

See also

• Buddhist Fat Ho Memorial College

External links

• Official website