Sunday, April 5: This morning, my plan is to head straightaway to Lantau Island by ferry. Since I have to fly back to Nanning on Monday, I’m afraid I won’t have time to go on Monday, so I must do it today. I have all day, and my hope is to go to Lantau and possibly the fishing village of Tai O, and then to make it to the Peak on Hong Kong Island in the late afternoon. Of course, it’s the Qing Ming holiday in Hong Kong as it is throughout all of China, so the crowds are in force. I take the metro to the Admiralty station on Hong Kong Island, and head straight for the Outlying Islands Ferry Terminal at Pier 6, walking past the Hong Kong Observation Wheel and Two International Finance Center toward Victoria Harbour.
Hong Kong Observation Wheel
Hong Kong Central
Hong Kong Central
Hong Kong Observation Wheel
At Pier 6, which is right next to the Star Ferry Pier, I stand in line to get on the ferry to Peng Chau on Lantau Island. Sadly, the next ferry is already full, so I have to stand in line another 30 minutes to get on the following ferry. It’s so frustrating, always having to fight the crowds on these Chinese holidays.
Victoria Harbour
Star Ferry Terminal
It takes nearly an hour to get to Lantau Island. Once we disembark, we head directly for the bus to Po Lin Monastery, where again we have to wait in a queue until the bus allows us to begin boarding. That takes a while. Finally, we’re on our way, about a 40 minute drive to the Monastery. We get dropped in front of this gate.
Gate to Po Lin Monastery
The first thing I can see is the famous bronze Tian Tan Buddha, better known as the Big Buddha, a 34-meter-high sculpture erected in 1993 that shows the Sakyamuni Buddha sitting cross-legged on a lotus flower and facing north to look over the Chinese people. He sits prominently on a hill on Ngong Ping Plateau. According to Discover Hong Kong: The Big Buddha and Po Lin Monastery: “The eyes, lips, incline of the head and right hand, which is raised to deliver a blessing to all, combine to bring a humbling depth of character and dignity to the massive Buddha, which took 12 years to complete.” I climb up the steps to the Big Buddha along with the crowds of tourists.
Big Buddha
Sadly, the sun is behind the Big Buddha so it’s difficult to get a good picture of his serene face.
Closer up to the Big Buddha
According to Wikipedia, 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 sits on a lotus, a symbol of purity in Buddhism, on top of a three-platform altar. Six smaller bronze statues known as “The Offering of the Six Devas” are posed around it, offering flowers, incense, lamp, ointment, fruit, and music to the Buddha. These symbolize the Six Perfections of generosity, morality, patience, zeal, meditation, and wisdom, all of which are necessary for enlightenment (Wikipedia: Tian Tan Buddha).
One of the “Offering of the Six Devas”
I love the statues of the Six Devas, which are quite striking.
One of the “Offering of the Six Devas”
One of the “Offering of the Six Devas”
One of the “Offering of the Six Devas”
From the back side of the Buddha, I have sweeping views of the island, the Zhujiang River Estuary, and the South China Sea.
The view from Tian Tan Buddha
View of Lantau from the Big Buddha
mountain near Po Lin Monastery & The Big Buddha
“Offering of the Six Devas”
From one of the tiers of the Buddha, I can also see Po Lin Monastery nestled in the folds of the hills.
Po Lin Monastery from the Big Buddha
One of the “Offering of the Six Devas”
Finally, at this angle, I can get a slight view of the Buddha’s face.
Tian Tan Buddha, or the Big Buddha
The Big Buddha
After awhile, I climb down from the Big Buddha to the Po Lin Monastery, where incense is burning in large stone and metal sand-filled containers and people are praying to the Buddha holding and prostrating with burning incense sticks.
Incense burner at Po Lin Monastery
Incense burners at Po Lin Monastery
Incense burning at Po Lin Monastery
Making offerings to the Buddha
Before I explore further, I go to a vegetarian restaurant at the monastery where I’ve bought a ticket for lunch. It’s packed with mostly Chinese tourists. I’m seated at a table with a small family of four, a solo Chinese woman traveler, and two Chinese men who seem to be friends. I guess this is the straggler table. I’m served up a bunch of Chinese vegetables which are cooked in tons of oil. I can feel my stomach rumbling as I eat it. From then on, my day is ruined by stomach cramps. I feel miserable the rest of the day. I felt exactly this way in Kunming when Alex and I ate lunch at a vegetarian restaurant in a monastery. Will I never learn? According to Lantau Online: Po Lin Monastery: The Po Lin Monastery can trace its history back to 1904 when three monks built a retreat on the site and named it Da Maopeng (“The Big Hut”). Da Maopeng was renamed Po Lin in 1924 and it has grown in status with halls, gardens, and monuments. The site also hosts a tea garden and two vegetarian restaurants.
At Po Lin Monastery
Inside a hall at Po Lin Monastery
Characters at Po Lin Monastery
Offerings to the Buddha at Po Lin Monastery
The staircase leading up to the main temple, Da Xiong Bao Dian, has an ascending island of yellow flowers and a large incense burner partway up.
Po Lin Monastery
Steps to the Main Temple at Po Lin Monastery
Steps to the Main Temple at Po Lin Monastery
Inside are beautiful lotus-shaped chandeliers, extravagantly painted ceilings, and huge rectangular and cylindrical-shaped banners hanging from the ceilings.
Inside the Main Temple at Po Lin Monastery
Three bronze Buddhas, Sakyamuni, Dipamkarara and Maitreya, are enshrined in this main temple. They represent Buddha’s past, present and future lives. The temple also houses many Buddhist scriptures.
Three Buddhas inside the Main Temple at Po Lin Monastery
Inside the Main Temple at Po Lin Monastery
Inside the Main Temple at Po Lin Monastery
The interior is lavishly but tastefully done. It’s simply stunning.
Inside the Main Temple at Po Lin Monastery
The outside of the temple is no less impressive, with its colorful painted and intricately carved eaves.
Eaves of the Main Temple at Po Lin Monastery
Another temple sits behind the main hall. It holds five seated figures and boasts a gorgeous ceiling.
Another temple at Po Lin Monastery
Again, the outsides of the temples are fabulous.
Po Lin Monastery
Po Lin Monastery
Po Lin Monastery
Succulents at Po Lin Monastery
Gate to Po Lin Monastery with Big Buddha on the hill
All steps lead to the Big Buddha
Finally, I head out of the complex, where I’ve now decided, instead of going to the fishing village of Tai O, I’m going to take the famous Ngong Ping 360 cable-car to the Tung Chung metro line, where I can go directly back into Hong Kong Central, bypassing the ferry completely.
china diaries 
The orchids and lilies are so beautiful! You certainly have done your research and visited some amazing places Cathy. Sorry to hear the food was still so bad in HK. I guess the only way to eat safely is to prepare and cook for yourself, not possible when travelling, or eat in western restaurants only.
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I loved those orchids and lilies, Jude! I assume when I eat vegetarian, it’s going to be good, and it probably would be if the food wasn’t saturated in oil. I’ve heard a lot of Chinese establishments use recycled oil, which I think is always the culprit in my stomach problems. It’s usually the cheaper places. A monastery might use it to save money as well. I’ve even gotten sick from Western restaurants here as well. In Nanning, I’ve found a handful of places where I don’t get sick after eating there. I tend to stick to those.
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You’ll be happy to get home and enjoy your food again.
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How right you are, Jude. I’m going to see a doctor too, just to make sure nothing serious is happening. 🙂
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The Chinese must have cast iron stomachs Cathy and goodness knows how you would feel if you were eating meat! I love the yellow orchids going up the steps and what a wealthy monastery that must be, amazing!
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Fabulous post and photos, Cathy! One outing I would definitely have enjoyed despite the crowds. No salads in China? I think I’d stick to bread 😦
Love those offering sculptures! They’re so serene and lovely. And the flowers mounting the steps, of course. If ever I have me a house with front steps I will adopt that idea 🙂 🙂
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Thanks so much, Jo. I’m sad to say there are rarely any salads to be found in China; I don’t know why. They just want to cook everything to death, and not in a healthy way. Even the bread is no good as it is all sweet. Today I bought what I thought was wheat bread and I made a grilled cheese sandwich. It was awful because it was sweet! So gross. I can’t wait to see your new house with the flowers going up the steps. 🙂
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Ugh- sweet bread! 😦
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You sure are getting about, Kat. I was in Hong Kong so many times but I never went to Lantau. I always thought it was a bit far. Big mistake.
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It’s quite a trek, but not that bad, Dai. Next time you go to HK, you should definitely go. 🙂
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Fantastic pictures! Po Lin and the cable car are definitely on the list for our Hong Kong trip later this year!
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Thank you, Stuart. I think they’re definitely worthwhile to add to your list. There’s another temple I wish I had seen too, and really regret I didn’t get to it: Man Mo Temple. Thanks for visiting!
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