Founded at the turn of the 20th Century, Po Lin Monastery was once a small and remote complex, hidden in the lush green hills of rural Ngong Ping on Lantau Island.
Now neither remote nor hidden, today Po Lin Monastery is an important centre for Buddhism and one of Hong Kong’s favourite tourist locations, visited by hundreds of thousands of people every year. The monastery comprises several different buildings, including the Hall of Ti-tsang Bodhisattva and the Great Hall of Treasure. More structures are still being added every year and because of its increasing size and importance, Po Lin Monastery is sometimes referred to as “the Buddhist World in the South”.Head to the exhibition hall to see the beautifully inscribed monastery bell. This bell rings every seven minutes throughout the day, totalling 108 rings per day. Legend has it that this bell can cure anyone of 108 different types of ailments.Opposite the monastery sits the imposing Big Buddha statue, or to give it its official name, the Tian Tan Buddha. An impressive 34 metres high, this sitting Buddha was built in 1993 and attracts tourists and pilgrims from throughout Asia. Climb the few hundred steps to get to top of the statue. It takes a bit of effort but you’ll be doubly rewarded by a closer look at the Buddha and beautiful views of the nearby mountains and South China Sea.You can reach Po Lin Monastery by cable car or ferry. If taking the Ngong Ping 360 cable car from Tung Chung, leave the Tung Chung MTR station by Exit B and walk to the cable car terminal. Alternatively, take the ferry from Central Pier 6 to Mui Wo on Lantau Island, then hop on the number 2 New Lantau bus to Ngong Ping. The bus may take up to 45 minutes. Open daily, Po Lin Monastery offers healthy vegetarian meals from mid-morning until afternoon.
