Tian Tan Buddha ↔ Ngong Ping, Hong Kong
Tian Tan Buddha, also known as the Big Buddha, is a large bronze statue
of a Buddha Amoghasiddhi, completed in 1993, and located at Ngong Ping,
Lantau Island, in Hong Kong. The statue is located near Po Lin Monastery
and symbolises the harmonious relationship between man and nature,
people and religion. It is a major centre of Buddhism in Hong Kong, and
is also a popular tourist attraction.
The statue is named Tian Tan Buddha because its base is a model of the
Altar of Heaven or Earthly Mount of Tian Tan, the Temple of Heaven in
Beijing. It is one of the five large Buddha statues in China. The Buddha
statue sits on a lotus[disambiguation needed] throne on top of a
three-platform altar. It is surrounded by six smaller bronze statues
known as "The Offering of the Six Devas" and are posed offering flowers,
incense, lamp, ointment, fruit, and music to the Buddha. These
offerings symbolize charity, morality, patience, zeal, meditation, and
wisdom, all of which are necessary to enter into nirvana.
The Buddha is 34 meters (112 ft) tall, weighs 250 metric tons (280 short
tons), and was the world's tallest outdoor bronze seated Buddha prior
to 2007. It reputedly can even be seen from as far away as Macau on a
clear day. Visitors have to climb 240 steps in order to reach the
Buddha, though the site also features a small winding road to the Buddha
for vehicles to accommodate the handicapped.
The Tian Tan Buddha appears serene and dignified. His right hand is
raised, representing the removal of affliction.The Buddha's left hand
rests on his lap in a gesture of giving dhana. The Buddha faces north,
which is unique among the great Buddha statues, as all others face
south.
In addition, there are 3 floors beneath the Buddha statue: The Hall of
Universe, The Hall of Benevolent Merit, and The Hall of Remembrance. One
of the most renowned features inside is a relic of Gautama Buddha,
consisting of some of his alleged cremated remains. Only visitors who
purchase an offering for the Buddha are allowed to see the relic, in
order to leave the offering there. There is a huge carved bell inscribed
with images of Buddhas in the show room. It was designed to ring every
seven minutes, 108 times a day, symbolising the release of 108 kinds of
human vexations.
History — The Tian Tan Buddha was constructed beginning in
1990, and was finished on December 29, 1993, the day of the
enlightenment of Gautama Buddha, the founder of the Buddhist religion.
The statue was formed out of 202 separate pieces of bronze. In addition
to the exterior components, there is a strong steel framework inside the
statue to support the heavy load. When the statue was completed, monks
from around the world were invited to the opening ceremony.
Distinguished visitors from mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, India,
Japan, Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and the United
States all took part in the proceedings. On October 18, 1999, the
Hong Kong Post Office issued a stamp depicting the Tian Tan Buddha. The
MTR corporation has also issued a souvenir ticket featuring a
photograph of the statue.
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| Buddhistic statues praising and making offerings to the Tian Tan Buddha. Photo — Link |
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| View from the upper platform, with the detail of the Buddha's robes clearly visible. Photo — Link |
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| Tian Tan Buddha ↔ Ngong Ping, Hong Kong. Photo — Link |
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