Tsz Shan Monastery Beautiful Nature Lead to Grateful Awareness
Harmonious landscape at Tsz Shan Monastery
Tsz Shan Monastery a place to connect people with a mindful awareness
Throughout history, great monuments have been built to pay tribute to religious conviction – Cambodia’s Angkor Wat, Kyoto’s Kinkaku-ji Golden Temple, Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia designed by Antoni Gaudi, St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome and Hagia Sophia Mosque in Istanbul. Each is a remarkable demonstration of what inspired faith can architecturally achieve. Tsz Shan Monastery is such a place.
But what about modern faith convictions? Billionaire Li Ka-shing’s answer is Tsz Shan Monastery, with its seventy-meter-tall bronze-cast statue of Guanyin. Combining property acumen with Buddhist beliefs, he has built a learning institute where quiet contemplation and a culture of consideration are given space to grow.
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Wandering the grounds and passing through the monastery’s halls, I remind myself that his intent for this place is to connect people with a mindful awareness of the surrounding nature, leading to a positive, lasting legacy.
A demonstration of inspired faith
Religious faith came early to Li – his elders raised him with an affinity for Buddhism that has followed throughout his life. According to the Tsz Shan Monastery website, this affinity led to a pledge to donate one-third of his personal assets to advance medical research, education and alleviate poverty.
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As his businesses flourished, his philanthropic efforts were directed to the Li Ka-shing Foundation. The foundation funds Tsz Shan Monastery’s development and operations to the tune of more than HK$ 3.4 billion.
Hong Kong citadel of education and enlightenment
Tsz Shan Monastery, from inception to completion, was years in the making. Planning began in 2003, and it wasn’t until 2015 that it opened to the public. Established to preserve the inheritance of the Dharma, as preached by the Buddha (a.k.a. Siddhartha Gautama), the Chinese Buddhist Monastery is now a Hong Kong citadel of education and enlightenment.
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Nature grounds Buddhist scriptures and practices and physically manifests the connection between the believer’s spirit and Buddha. This is apparent across the monastery’s sprawling landscape. Contained by densely forested mountains and the glimmering seafront, the complex’s 46,000 m2 comprises three main halls (set on a central axis) arranged around courtyards and ponds to allow for private contemplation.
Tsz Shan Monastery architects drew inspiration from masters
Tsz Shan architects drew inspiration from masters. Curved metal ridges that top the ceramic roofs are a callback to the Tang dynasty. Multiple roof style influences are subtle and effective, including xieshan (four slopes and two triangular vertical planes), xieshan juanpeng (a ridgeless version of the xieshan), and wudian (four slopes with five ridges).
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They harmonise the earnest elements of the Tang, Northern Song, Liao and Jin dynasty styles to create a wholly unique monastery structure that honours Buddhism’s past while cultivating its future.
Balance is key Buddhist tenet
Balance is a key Buddhist tenet, which is reflected in the monastery’s arrangement. Each building has an accompanying courtyard, and each is given its own seating platform. Surrounding corridors emphasise the differences between the three main structures.
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We began our journey through the complex by passing through the Main Gate. Also called the Triple Gate, the structure represents wisdom, compassion and expediency. Walking through the gate offers an opportunity to cast aside thoughts of ignorance, anger and greed and aspire to a peaceful state of mind. Gilt bronze statues of Gautama’s protector, Vajrapani, sit on either side of the gate and guard the entrance.
Ten stages of enlightenment
Next came Joyful Terrace, named for the first of the Ten Stages of Enlightenment. As we walk along the stone steps and admire the half-crescent-shaped lotus pond, the space is a gentle reminder to joyfully work on helping others by improving ourselves.
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The layout neatly flows into the next building, the Maitreya Hall. Photography is not allowed, so I slowly make my way and take in every detail. Like the monastery’s exterior layout, the materials used inside have been chosen and arranged to cultivate an air of tranquillity.
The Drum Tower and Bell Tower stand to the left and right of the Maitreya Hall, reminders of guard towers protecting city gates. The drum in the Drum Tower is engraved with the pattern of a bat, an auspicious animal. When played, the drum sounds out Dharma, a reminder of Buddha’s teachings encouraging the practices of morality, meditation and wisdom.
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Like the drum, the bell is a revered object. The Great Bronze Bell, as it’s called, is engraved with the Diamond Sutra, reminding devotees of the illusory nature of phenomena, that there is more to be gained than material objects.
The Grand Buddha Hall at Tsz Shan Monastery
Beyond Maitreya Hall is the Bronze Lantern in the courtyard’s centre. Octagonal in design, its position just before the Grand Buddha Hall is fitting. The lantern symbolises the light on the road to Buddhahood. At each corner, a Bhodi tree symbolises one of the Four Immeasurable States of Mind: loving-kindness, joy, compassion and equanimity.
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The Grand Buddha Hall, located furthest from the Tsz Shan Monastery entrance, is simply constructed. Its walls, built of dark African padauk wood, neatly frame three magnificent statues placed in the centre of the hall: the principal Buddha of Pure Land Buddhism, Siddhartha Gautama and the Buddha of healing and medicine.
At either end of the hall are the seated statues of the eighteen original followers of Gautama; these holy disciples attained Buddhism’s four stages of enlightenment and achieved nirvana.
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Situated behind the Grand Buddha Hall is the Dharma Rain Terrace. Its cascading water feature along the higher rear wall creates a soothing atmosphere that encourages quiet reflection and meditation.
Heading back to the Grand Courtyard, we turn left and head towards the Universal Gate; this second-largest hall in the monastery, with its engravings of the Ten Vows of Bodhisattva Samantabhadra offers hope and inspiration. Of these vows, I’m most affected by the fifth: Passing on the merits of responding with joy.
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It’s easy to fall into a negative mindset, and Samantabhadra is a reminder to rejoice in acts of kindness whenever possible. A small statue of Guanyin is at the centre, readying us to meet her larger form.
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To reach the impressive monument to Guanyin, the Goddess of Mercy, we walk down Compassion Path. Eighteen-aged Buddhist pines line either side of the path.
At Guanyin’s feet lies the Thousand Wishes Pond. Visitors wishing to make offerings to the Goddess of Mercy are encouraged to pour water into the large bronze vessel.
Goddess of Mercy perched atop a three-tier lotus
Glistening like a saltwater pearl, the Goddess of Mercy is perched atop a three-tier lotus. Standing at an impressive seventy metres in height, her likeness was inspired by Song dynasty sculptures.
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While it is one thing to humble yourself in an imposing building like a church or a monastery, it is another to consider your place in the universe as you stare up at a statue of a god that seems to be holding up the sky.
Like other renditions that I’ve seen, this Guanyin statue does not hold onto negativity. Her features are soft and heartwarming, reflecting her compassionate nature. I learned that her topknot holds an image of the Pure Land Buddha.
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As overseer of Sukhavati’s spiritual paradise, his image represents the blessings and protection on offer. In her right hand sits a mani pearl (symbolising inner wisdom and vision), and in her left is a vase, from which she pours pure water to cleanse the world as we perceive it.
Her neck is adorned with a stacked necklace called a keyura.
Tsz Shan Monastery Buddhist Art Museum
Before we leave, we visit the Tsz Shan Monastery Buddhist Art Museum, a museum dedicated to the arts, relics and teachings of Buddha. Statues from across Asia have been carefully curated to depict the range of Buddhist interpretations, highlighting how the religion has connected different cultures, unifying them in a vision of hope and humanity.
Space that harmonises with nature
It amazes me what faith can accomplish. With the Tsz Shan Monastery, Li has succeeded in creating a space that harmonises with nature, supports local Buddhism’s research and learning efforts, and broadens the perspectives of curious visitors.
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With activities and workshops scheduled throughout the year, the monastery makes Buddhism accessible to the public, infusing Dharma Education creatively.
Its collaborations with local universities further its mission to support education and make Buddhism accessible to anyone who seeks it.
Text & Photos Victoria Mae Martyn
