Hong Kong Travel: Paying Homage to the Tian Tan Buddha on Lantau Island (Photos)

The Tian Tan Buddha on Lantau Island in Hong Kong has always been one of the landmarks that this reporter wished to pay homage to, but on multiple visits to Hong Kong, he had never been able to go due to various reasons. After many setbacks, in March 2018, during his fourth business trip to Hong Kong, the reporter finally fulfilled his wish to visit the Tian Tan Buddha.

Tung Chung Cable Car Station (Photo by Feng Ganyong)

On March 9, accompanied by calligrapher Mr. Duan Geshu, friends Deng Zhuang and Liu Ping, and under the guidance of a young Hong Kong friend, Zhang Zhenyu, the reporter set out from his hotel, the Harbour Plaza Metropolis in Hung Hom. They took a taxi to Hung Hom, then transferred twice on the MTR before arriving at the Ngong Ping 360 Tung Chung Cable Car Station, the gateway to the Tian Tan Buddha on Lantau Island.

Lantau Island Scenery (Photo by Feng Ganyong)

Lantau Island, located at the mouth of the Pearl River, is the largest island in Hong Kong, covering an area of approximately 144 square kilometers, of which 78.4 square kilometers are designated as country park. Before the completion of the Tian Tan Buddha, the most popular spots for hikers on South Lantau were Lantau Peak and Sunset Peak. Lantau Peak, the second highest peak in Hong Kong at 934 meters, offers a sunrise view that every hiker aspires to experience.

Lantau Island Seaview (Photo by Feng Ganyong)

Hikers often ascend the mountain in the dark, reaching the summit before dawn to watch the sunrise. It is advisable for visitors to stay overnight at Ngong Ping and arrive at the peak before daybreak. The mountain paths are steep, so hikers must be well-prepared, with flashlights being an essential tool. The coastline is long and winding, featuring bays, beaches, mountains, and streams, where natural landscapes and historical sites complement each other.

Lantau Island Scenery (Photo by Feng Ganyong)

Sunset Peak, the second highest peak on Lantau after Lantau Peak, can be reached by a trail from the back of Nam Shan heading west, passing through the Nam Shan Country Park Management Station, ascending to the summit at about 869 meters. The trail offers beautiful views: to the south, one can see Pui O, Cheung Sha, Shek Kwu Chau, and the Soko Islands; to the north, Tung Chung, Castle Peak, and the Pearl River Estuary; from the summit, Hong Kong Island is faintly visible. Another feature of South Lantau is its many beautiful beaches. Water sports enthusiasts flock here every summer to swim. The coastline from Pui O Beach, Cheung Sha Beach to Tong Fuk Beach stretches for six kilometers, facing the Soko Islands and other islets across the water, with blue skies and clear seas forming a delightful panorama.

Cable Car (Photo by Feng Ganyong)

Hong Kong Airport (Photo by Feng Ganyong)

Lantau Island is also modern. Hong Kong International Airport, located at Chek Lap Kok on Lantau, is a must-pass for travelers. The Tsing Ma Bridge, connecting Lantau to Kowloon, is the world's longest road-rail double-deck suspension bridge with three towers. Disneyland, which opened in 2005, is located here. In addition, ferry terminals, resort hotels, and other facilities have been built, adding to Lantau's modern character. Today, the main tourist attractions on Lantau Island include the Tsing Ma Bridge, Po Lin Monastery, and Tai O Town.

View from the Cable Car (Photo by Feng Ganyong)

After the Tian Tan Buddha was completed in 1993, the increasing number of visitors led to the construction of a tourist cable car system connecting Tung Chung, operated by the MTR Corporation. The business is thriving. When the reporter's group arrived, they waited in line for about an hour before boarding the cable car.

Overlooking the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Bridge (Photo by Feng Ganyong)

The views of the sea and sky during the cable car ride to Lantau were magnificent. Hong Kong International Airport and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Bridge came into clear sight. From the cable car, the spectacular bridge looked like a dragon stretching from land into the sea, with its head seeming to dive into the ocean.

Ngong Ping Area (Photo by Feng Ganyong)

During the journey, Zhang Zhenyu told the reporter that the Tian Tan Buddha scenic area on Lantau Island is located at the Ngong Ping Village. Originally, there was only Po Lin Monastery, a quiet place. But after the completion of the world's largest outdoor bronze seated Buddha, the Tian Tan Buddha, it began to attract visitors from all over the world.

Group Photo at the Buddha Scenic Area (Photo by Liu Ping)

After getting off the cable car, they arrived at the Tian Tan Buddha scenic area for lunch. The food options were diverse and affordable. For example, the reporter's group had seafood fried noodles with Tai Chi soup, costing less than two hundred Hong Kong dollars for several people. The seafood fried noodles came with six large prawns, which were considerately peeled from the head down, making them easy to eat.

Fast Food at the Scenic Area (Photo by Feng Ganyong)

After lunch, the reporter's group entered the Tian Tan Buddha scenic area and strolled to the foot of the Buddha. A stone staircase leads up to the Buddha, marking the beginning of the homage. Climbing the 268 steps brings you close to the Tian Tan Buddha.

Entering the Buddha Scenic Area (Photo by Feng Ganyong)

The base of the Tian Tan Buddha is modeled after the Circular Mound Altar at the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, hence the name "Tian Tan Buddha." Designed and built by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, this Buddha is the world's tallest outdoor bronze seated Buddha, sitting majestically on Muyu Peak at an altitude of 482 meters on Lantau Island. Constructed by the Po Lin Monastery, the grand and solemn Buddha took twelve years to complete, symbolizing Hong Kong's stability and prosperity, national peace, and world peace.

Path to the Buddha (Photo by Feng Ganyong)

Front View of the Buddha (Photo by Feng Ganyong)

The Tian Tan Buddha sits on a three-tier lotus throne. The Buddha itself is 23 meters tall, and with the lotus base and pedestal, the total height is about 34 meters. It weighs 250 tons and is made of 202 bronze pieces welded together. The face alone weighs 5 tons, and about 2 kilograms of gold were added during casting, enhancing its luster. A careful look reveals that the Buddha integrates the essence of Yungang Grottoes, Longmen Grottoes, and Tang Dynasty sculpture techniques, appearing dignified and compassionate. It faces south, with the right hand raised to the chest, fingers extended in the "Abhaya Mudra" (fearlessness), symbolizing the removal of suffering; the left hand rests on the leg, palm outward with fingers slightly downward in the "Varada Mudra" (wish-granting), symbolizing the granting of happiness, embodying great power and great compassion. It is praised as a crystallization of high technology and Eastern art.

Side View of the Buddha (Photo by Feng Ganyong)

Close-up View of the Buddha (Photo by Feng Ganyong)

The interior of the Buddha is divided into three levels: the Hall of Merit, the Exhibition Hall, and the Memorial Hall. These halls are connected by a circular staircase. In the center hangs a large bell, 2 meters in diameter and weighing 6 tons, engraved with Buddha images, handprints, and sutras. The bell is controlled by a computer and strikes every seven minutes, 108 times in total, to help people "relieve 108 kinds of worries." At the foot of the Buddha, there is a group of smaller Buddha statues in various poses.

Small Buddha Statues (Photo by Feng Ganyong)

Corner of the Memorial Hall (Photo by Feng Ganyong)

In the Memorial Hall on the third floor, the Buddha's true body relic is enshrined. According to legend, the relic is a sacred object left after the nirvana of Sakyamuni Buddha over 2,500 years ago, about the size of a grain of rice. Currently, only China and Sri Lanka still possess the Buddha's relic. The true body relic was brought to Hong Kong from Sri Lanka in October 1992, and believers can come to pay homage.

Overlooking Po Lin Monastery (Photo by Feng Ganyong)

Po Lin Monastery Archway (Photo by Feng Ganyong)

Looking down from the Tian Tan Buddha, a cluster of magnificent golden buildings is the spectacular Po Lin Monastery. Known as the "Southern Heavenly Buddhist Kingdom," Po Lin Monastery was originally founded in 1924, its predecessor being a thatched hut built during the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty. In 1924, Monk Ji Xiu from Jinshan Temple in Zhenjiang became the first abbot, and the monastery was officially named "Po Lin Monastery." To the left of the monastery are Muyu Peak with the Tian Tan Buddha, the Fahua Pagoda, and the Huayan Pagoda; to the right are Lianhua Mountain and Lion Rock. Inside, there are the Skanda Hall, the grand main hall in palace style, the Po Lin Lotus Pond, and the majestic Heavenly King Hall.

Corner of Ngong Ping Area (Photo by Feng Ganyong)

Passing through a shady path beside Po Lin Monastery, they arrived at the Ngong Ping Fun Trail, which is 2.5 kilometers long, wide and flat, with pleasant scenery. At the end, there is a fork; turning left for 150 meters leads to a lush plain, where one can also enjoy the charming views of Nei Lak Shan and Lantau Peak. (Text and photos by Feng Ganyong)