Bao Lien Zen Monastery (Po Lin monastery)

Bao Lien Zen Monastery was first built in 1906 by three monks from Jiangsu province. The highlight of the monastery are the three bronze statues of Buddha, representing his past, present and future life.

In 1840, the Opium War took place, the beginning of special events in modern Chinese history. At that time, the people suffered from the oppression of the colonial regime. A group of Buddhists from Mainland China started moving to Hong Kong and taking refuge in the mountain peaks, they built simple huts and meditation rooms on the plains, where the climate is cool and peaceful. is the top priority. Gradually, over the years, monasteries hidden on remote hilltops gradually began to appear. Bao Lien Zen Monastery was officially established in 1924 and is led by a Zen master from the famous Jinshan Temple in Zhenjiang area, Mainland China. The first abbot of the monastery, along with other monks and lay people, gradually transformed this pristine plain into fertile farmland. With a history of more than 100 years of establishment and development, over many generations of abbots, Bao Lien Monastery has become the holy place of Buddhism in Cang Thom, a solid foundation for Buddhism to develop firmly in the territory. this land. The development of the monastery is closely related to the ups and downs in the history of Hong Kong, and it is a solid spiritual support for the local people, contributing to the promotion of Buddhism in the community.

With the continuous efforts of the abbots, Bao Lien Thien Tu is a symbol, a sacred place of Buddhist beliefs, reflected in its unique architectural and sculptural features against the majestic natural landscape. greatness - the harmony between clouds, sky, mountains and sea. Today, the monastery is a complex of architectural works from the entrance gate to the Bodhisattva hall, the main hall worshiping Ten Thousand Buddhas, the room worshiping Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, the meditation hall, the dining hall and the monks' room; All are combined in an orderly, tightly combined with open and spacious courtyards.

Located in a great location of the Ngang Binh plain, which is endowed by nature with poetic beauty such as tea gardens in the mist, sunrise or sunset on the top of Dai Er Son, the monastery possesses The gardens are meticulously cared for with flowers that are constantly proliferating and flowering all year round. The abbots of the monastery all pay great attention to the sustainable values of the natural environment and have an absolute fascination with the traditional beauty of the hidden monasteries and in harmony with nature. Coming to Bao Lien Zen Monastery, you feel like you are returning to a peaceful place with the scenery of clouds, sky, sea and mountains, and especially, releasing your soul with wonderful flowers that compete in the gardens around the monastery. In addition, this place also grows many kinds of fruit trees such as oranges, tangerines, grapefruits, papayas, mandarins, litchi, mangoes, all of which are used for worship and food for the monastery. The people of Hong Kong say that Bao Lien Zen Monastery is elaborately decorated with flowers and fruits, filled with the fragrance of orchids and laurel.

In addition, visiting the monastery, you will have the opportunity to visit Thien Dan Dai Buddha, the largest Buddha statue built outdoors, an architectural work that the monastery took over 10 years to cherish and build. This bronze statue symbolizes a prosperous Hong Kong in particular and a peaceful China in general; and is an absolute pride of the people of Cang Thom; It is considered as a work of Buddhist sculpture in modern history.

To go to Bao Lien Monastery, you can use the following public transport:

+ From Tung Chung metro station, take Dai Ershan bus number 23, get off at the terminus at Ngang Binh station, experience the 360-degree rotating cable car for 25 minutes and walk another 10 minutes to get to the monastery

+ from Trung Hoan, take the ferry to Mui Wo wharf, then take bus number 2 and get off at Ngang Binh wharf

+ from Tai O village, take bus number 21 and get off at Ngang Binh station

Operating time:

Bao Lien Zen Monastery : from 0900 AM to 0600 PM (weekdays and public holidays)

Big Buddha : from 1000 AM to 0530 PM (weekdays and public holidays)

You can visit the Buddha daily from 1000 AM to 0530PM, there is no entrance fee, but if you want to explore inside the Buddha statue there will be a fee of HG$78 including a vegetarian meal at the monastery.