Visiting the Tian Tan Buddha

On Lantau Island, one of the 260 or so islands that make up Hong Kong, you may find the Tian Tan Buddha and Po Lin Monastery. The Amoghasiddhi Buddha statue known as the Tian Tan Buddha stands for the wisdom of perfect practice and defeating the venom of envy. He is depicted raising his right hand in blessing. Here are some compelling reasons why you should pay a visit here.

Cardio before lunch

The Poh Lin Monastery below has 268 stairs that lead up to the Great Buddha. There are numerous wide landings to give you room to pause, look around, pose for a picture, or simply enjoy the scenery while you truly catch your breath. Although there are many buses that go in that direction, you aren’t really required to go up, and you might regret not doing so. As the Buddha grows increasingly spectacularly in front of you, climbing the stairs is actually pretty remarkable.

The offerings of six devas

Around the base are six smaller bronze sculptures holding up offerings. These are referred to as “the 6 Devas’ offerings.” Flowers (charity), incense (morality), lamps (patience), ointments (zeal), fruit (meditation), and music (knowledge) are the offerings, and they are symbolic of virtues that are prerequisites for attaining nirvana.

Wonderful views from the top

Excellent views of the monastery and town below can be had from the platforms surrounding the Great Buddha. Unfortunately, because of the fog in Hong Kong, pictures are frequently fuzzy. Even on a cloudy, you could see into the hills and for a fair amount of distance. It is totally worth booking a budget hotel in Hong Kong such as the Dorsett Mongkok Hong Kong and paying a visit here, just for the breathtaking views.

Poh Lin Monastery Gate

Poh Lin Monastery’s official gate is particularly magnificent. Normally, you can enter through the temple’s entrance, but when we arrived, it was roped off. Once we were inside, we discovered that there was an ordination ceremony going on that day, which may have been the cause.