Ponder this: over 13000 Buddha statues reside here at the Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery. Not the ten thousand its name suggests. This mid-20th century temple sits in Sha Tin Hong Kong. It is not a monastery in the traditional sense. No monks live here. Laypersons manage the site. The main temple and pagoda are Grade III historic buildings.
Yuet Kai founded this amazing place. He and his followers began construction in 1951. They finished six years later in 1957. Yuet Kai moved to Hong Kong in 1933. He wanted to share Buddhist teachings.
Getting here is an attraction itself. The path is lined with golden Buddhas. Each one is unique. They all strike different poses. The Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery closed for three years. This was after a mudslide killed a caretaker.
After the Communist takeover in mainland China, Yuet Kai built here. He and his followers carried supplies by hand. They funded this endeavor through donations. Installation of the Buddha statues continued into the new millennium.
Yuet Kai died in 1965. Some say his body was incorruptible. Newspapers reported he was embalmed. You can still see his body in the main hall.
Nephews of Yuet Kai oversaw maintenance after his death. The Monastery began to decline in popularity. Sha Tin New Town construction caused disruption in the 1970s. Renovations occurred in 1982, 1997 and 2005.
A mudslide struck in 1997. Heavy rainfall caused it. The caretaker died. The Monastery closed for three years for repairs. The public donated money for the repairs. The Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery reopened on July 31 2000. It can close during heavy rain now.
Before 1994 the temple operated eateries without a license. New rules required them to follow stricter standards. The Monastery continues to operate a vegetarian restaurant. They serve tofu custard and sweet and sour vegetarian chicken.
In 2010, the Monastery was in a dispute. It was about violating planning rules. The government placed operators on a blacklist.
The main temple and pagoda have historic significance. They are Grade III historic buildings. The Antiquities Advisory Board approved this status on August 31 2010.
The Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery sits on a hillside. There are 431 steep steps to get here. Statues of arhats surround the stairwell. These are Buddhist saints who achieved enlightenment. Artists from Yunnan and Guangdong provinces created them. They are modeled after statues in Kunming. The government initially disagreed about the statue installation. They worried about building codes and landslides. After a safety assessment the statues remained.
The complex covers over 8 hectares. It has two floors. The upper level has four halls. They are dedicated to Kwun Yam and other deities. The lower floor has another hall. There is also a nine-story pagoda, a tower and two pavilions.
The Monastery has close to 13000 Buddha statues. Some statues originate from the Tang Dynasty. The Monastery has been in movies. It was in Vanishing Son and Infernal Affairs.
Remember the steep climb as a pilgrimage. Each Buddha statue whispers a story. The Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery is a testament to faith. It embodies perseverance. It showcases art. It is a must-see destination in Hong Kong.