Tian Tan Buddha 天坛大佛

About Tian Tan Buddha

The raised right hand represents fearlessness, while the left rests palm-up in the lap. Looking from the approach towards the statue makes those gestures and the flowing robe easier to read. The circular platform takes its inspiration from Beijing’s Temple of Heaven. Combine this hilltop monument with Po Lin Monastery below, allowing for the ascending approach and separate visitor access arrangements.

In 1974 the government granted Po Lin Monastery a 6,567-square-metre plot on Mok Yu Peak (木鱼峰) at a nominal price for the statue. The monastery formally established a construction committee on 26 December 1981, and a groundbreaking ceremony followed on 29 December, led by the District Secretary for New Territories. The estimated cost rose from an initial HK$20 million to more than HK$60 million over the project's twelve years.

The statue's design was created by Master Hung Wan (宏勋法师) of Chi Lin Nunnery, and a Guangzhou sculptor's plaster model went through eight revisions before a scale model was finished in 1984. Casting and installation were carried out by the China Aerospace Nanjing Chenguang Machine Factory (中国航天南京晨光机器厂); the finished bronze was shipped from Nanjing to Hong Kong by sea in 1989, and the Big Buddha was consecrated on 29 December 1993.

The bronze figure is reached by 268 stone steps and assembled from 207 bronze plates: 165 for the body, 36 for the lotus and 6 for the cloud motifs. It stands 26.4 metres tall, about 34 metres including the lotus throne and pedestal, and weighs 250 metric tons, seated on a three-tiered altar with a museum at its base.

What to look for

• The Buddha’s raised right hand and upward-facing left palm form contrasting symbolic gestures.
• The lotus throne and circular, Temple of Heaven-inspired platform frame the bronze figure.

Location & getting there

Getting to Tian Tan Buddha

Travel from Tung Chung MTR station to Ngong Ping by the cable car or a Ngong Ping-bound Lantau bus, then follow the signed approach to Po Lin Monastery and the Buddha. The monastery identifies its address as Ngong Ping, Lantau Island; the Buddha is the elevated monument nearby.