The Big Buddha, on Lantau Island, Hong Kong

Tian Tan Buddha from afar

Buddhistic statues praising the Tian Tan Buddha

Tian Tan Buddha (Traditional Chinese: 天壇大佛) is a large bronze statue of the Buddha, completed in 1993, and located at Ngong Ping, Lantau Island, in Hong Kong. Also known as the Big Buddha, as it is the world's tallest outdoor seated bronze Buddha. The statue is located near Po Lin Monastery and symbolizes the harmonious relationship between man and nature, people and religion. It is a major center of Buddhism in Hong Kong, and is also a popular tourist attraction. Buddha on Lantau Island File links The following pages link to this file: Buddhism Tian Tan Buddha Wikipedia:Todays featured article/April 2004 Wikipedia:Todays featured article/April 6, 2004 User:Mcsven Categories: NowCommons | GFDL images ... Buddha on Lantau Island File links The following pages link to this file: Buddhism Tian Tan Buddha Wikipedia:Todays featured article/April 2004 Wikipedia:Todays featured article/April 6, 2004 User:Mcsven Categories: NowCommons | GFDL images ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 450 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1728 × 2304 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 450 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1728 × 2304 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1200x1600, 550 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Hong Kong Tian Tan Buddha Portal:Hong Kong/Selected picture/August 2006 Portal:China/Selected picture/2006 Portal... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1200x1600, 550 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Hong Kong Tian Tan Buddha Portal:Hong Kong/Selected picture/August 2006 Portal:China/Selected picture/2006 Portal... Traditional Chinese characters refers to one of two standard sets of printed Chinese characters. ... Bronze is the most popular metal for cast metal sculptures; a cast-metal sculpture of bronze is often called a bronze. ... Media:Example. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Map of Lantau Island, Hong Kong Lantau Island (based on the local old name of Lantau Peak 爛頭 Làntóu, Ragged Head; 大嶼山/大屿山 pinyin: DàyÇ” shān, Cantonese: Tai yue shan, Big Island Mountain), also Lantao, is the largest island in Hong Kong, located at the mouth of the Pearl... Assorted ancient Bronze castings found as part of a cache, probably intended for recycling. ... Po Lin Monastery main temple (note map of full site in photo) Po Lin Monastery interior Po Lin Monastery (Traditional Chinese: , Literally Precious Lotus Zen Temple) is a Buddhist monastery, located on Ngong Ping Plateau, on Lantau Island, Hong Kong. ... This article needs additional references or sources to facilitate its verification. ... Tourists on Oahu, Hawaii Tourism is travel for predominantly recreational or leisure purposes or the provision of services to support this leisure travel. ...

Description

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 peacefully on a lotus throne on top of a three-platform altar. It is surrounded by eight smaller bronze statues representing gods or immortals. The Temple of Heaven, literally the Altar of Heaven (Traditional Chinese: 天壇; Simplified Chinese: 天坛; Pinyin: Tiān Tán) is situated in south eastern urban Beijing, in Xuanwu District. ... Beijing (Chinese: 北京; pinyin: BÄ›ijÄ«ng; IPA: ;  ), a metropolis in northern China, is the capital of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC). ... Binomial name Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn. ... This article is about living for infinite period of time. ...

The Buddha is 34 meters high, weighs 250 tonnes, and is the world's tallest outdoor bronze seated Buddha.^[1] until in 2007, a bronze buddha in Nam Mireuk Temple of Gangjin, Jeollanam-do (South Jeolla Province) beat the record by 2 meters (http://korea.net/news/news/newsView.asp?serial_no=20070408007&part=106&SearchDay=). It can even be seen as far away as Macau on a clear day. Visitors have to climb 268 steps in order to reach the Buddha, though the site also features a small winding road to the Buddha for vehicles to accommodate the physically challenged.

The Tian Tan Buddha appears serene and dignified. His right hand is raised, representing the removal of affliction. His left hand rests on his lap in a gesture of giving (dhana). The Buddha faces north which is unique among the great Buddha statues. (All others face South.)

In addition there are 3 floors at the bottom of Buddha: 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 Sakyamuni, consisting of some of his alleged cremated remains. 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, symbolizing the release of 108 kinds of human vexations. A relic is an object, especially a piece of the body or a personal item of someone of religious significance, carefully preserved with an air of veneration as a tangible memorial, Relics are an important aspect of Buddhism, some denominations of Christianity, Hinduism, shamanism, and many other personal belief systems. ... Standing Buddha, ancient region of Gandhara, northern Pakistan, 1st century CE. Gautama Buddha was a South Asian spiritual leader who lived between approximately 563 BCE and 483 BCE. Born Siddhartha Gautama in Sanskrit, a name meaning descendant of Gotama whose aims are achieved/who is efficacious in achieving aims, he... Cremation is the practice of disposing of a corpse by burning. ...

History

The Tian Tan Buddha was constructed beginning in 1990, and was finished on December 29, 1993, the birthday of Sakyamuni. The construction costs of the giant Buddha were estimated to be up to $68 million. It 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 and wind pressure. Year 1990 (MCMXC) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 363rd day of the year (364th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar). ... Standing Buddha, ancient region of Gandhara, northern Pakistan, 1st century CE. Gautama Buddha was a South Asian spiritual leader who lived between approximately 563 BCE and 483 BCE. Born Siddhartha Gautama in Sanskrit, a name meaning descendant of Gotama whose aims are achieved/who is efficacious in achieving aims, he... Assorted ancient Bronze castings found as part of a cache, probably intended for recycling. ... The steel cable of a colliery winding tower. ...

When the statue was completed, monks from around the world were invited to the opening ceremony. Distinguished visitors from mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Thailand, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and the United States all took part in the proceedings. ... Korea (Korean: 한국 in South Korea or 조선 in North Korea, see below) is a geographic area, civilization, and former state situated on the Korean Peninsula in East Asia. ...

On October 18, 1999 the Hong Kong Post Office issued a stamp depicting the Tian Tan Buddha. The MTR corporation has also issued a tourist souvenir ticket featuring a photograph of the statue. is the 291st day of the year (292nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar). ... Outlook of the General Post Office in Central, built 1976. ... This article is about the metro system in Hong Kong. ...

Visiting and access

View from the upper platform. The connections between the bronze plates are clearly visible

Po Lin Monastery and the Buddha are open to the public between 10:00 and 17:45. Access to the Buddha is free of charge. An entrance fee of HK$ 60 is charged for access to the exhibition halls below the Buddha and includes a vegetarian meal (HK$ 100 for the deluxe dinner) served on the monastery grounds (from 11:30 to 17:00). The admission fee includes a souvenir card featuring an image of the Buddha. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (3072 × 2304 pixel, file size: 2. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (3072 × 2304 pixel, file size: 2. ... ISO 4217 Code HKD User(s) Hong Kong Inflation 2. ... For animals adapted to eat primarily plants, sometimes referred to as vegetarian animals, see Herbivore. ...

Located around the site are various shops selling Buddha-related souvenirs such as statues, incense, and necklaces.

Visitors may also see the nearby monastery, known as the "Buddhist Kingdom in the South," which serves as an international Buddhist retreat, and is one of the largest and most well known in Hong Kong. The monastery was built by three Zen masters in 1920. The main temples have painted vermilion interiors with dragons and many other different Chinese mythical figures on the walls and ceilings. Visitors often spend time in the attached tea garden, the only tea garden in the territory. A five minute walk past the tea garden takes you to the "Wisdom Path" - a very large wooden inscription of the Heart Sutra set within a figure 8 to symbolize infinity. There is a great scenic view of the Tian Tan Buddha if you climb all the way to the top of the hill. Zen is a school of Mahāyāna Buddhism notable for its emphasis on practice and experiential wisdom—particularly as realized in the form of meditation known as zazen—in the attainment of awakening. ... 1920 (MCMXX) was a leap year starting on Thursday. ... Japanese name Kanji: Hiragana: Romaji: Korean name Hangul: Hanja: Thai name Thai: Vietnamese name Quoc Ngu: Hantu: The Chinese dragon is a mythical Chinese creature that also appears in other East Asian cultures, and is also sometimes called the Oriental (or Eastern) dragon. ... The Heart of Perfect Wisdom Sutra or Heart Sutra or Essence of Wisdom Sutra (Sanskrit: प्रज्ञापारमिताहृदयसूत्र Prajñāpāramitā Hridaya SÅ«tra; Chinese: 般若波羅蜜多心經, BōrÄ›bōluómìduō XÄ«njÄ«ng; Japanese: 般若心経, Hannya Shingyō; Korean: Pannya Shimgyŏng) is a well-known Mahāyāna Buddhist sutra that is very...

View from the bottom step

One of the main attractions of this Buddha statue is climbing 268 steps and circling the platform (the lotus) where the Buddha sits. See Video of the climb up the steps to Tian Tan Buddha. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 450 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1536 × 2048 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 450 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1536 × 2048 pixel, file size: 1. ...

Also nearby is Lantau Peak, the second highest mountain in Hong Kong, a path up and along which also offers a great view of the Buddha and the monastery. Lantau Peak or Fung Wong Shan (Chinese: 鳳凰山, literally meaning Pheonix Mountain) is the second highest peak in Hong Kong. ...

Public transport

Visitors can reach the site by bus or taxi, travelling first to Mui Wo (also known as "Silvermine Bay") via ferry from the Outlying Islands piers in Central (pier No. 6), or to Tung Chung station via the MTR. Visitors may then travel to and from and Buddha via the following bus routes: Mui Wo (梅窩, lit. ... The night view of the Central as viewed from Tsim Sha Tsui on the opposite side of the Victoria Harbour Central (Chinese: 中環; Jyutping: zung1 waan4; Cantonese IPA: ; Pinyin: Zhōnghuán) is an area located in Central and Western District, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. ... The Tung Chung Terminus The Tung Chung Line (東涌線) is one of the six lines of the MTR system in Hong Kong. ...

• Mui Wo ↔ Ngong Ping — NLB No. 2
• Tung Chung ↔ Ngong Ping — NLB No. 23

A gondola lift, the Ngong Ping Skyrail between Tung Chung and Ngong Ping, provides another means of access. New Lantao Bus Co. ... Tochal gondola lift carry tourists and skiers to Tochal mountain,Tehran, Iran. ... The logo of Ngong Ping 360 Ngong Ping 360 is a tourism project in Lantau Island, Hong Kong, China, consists of the Ngong Ping Skyrail cable car system and Ngong Ping Village. ...

Comparisons

Summary facts about other great Buddha statues are listed below. Buddhist art, defined as the figurative arts and decorative arts linked to the Buddhist religion, originated in the Indian subcontinent in the centuries following the life of the historical Buddha Shakyamuni in the 6th to 5th century BCE, before evolving through its contact with other cultures and its diffusion through...

The Leshan Giant Buddha (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ) is the tallest stone Buddha statue in the world. ... Minjiang, when written without tone marks, is the name of either of two rivers in China, each with its own Chinese character and pinyin pronunciation: Minjiang River (Sichuan), written 岷江 and pronounced Mínjiāng; Minjiang River (Fujian), written 闽江 and pronounced Mǐnjiāng. ... Khanbaliq or Cambuluc (great residence of the khan) is the ancient Mongol name for Beijing, the current capital of China. ... Categories: Possible copyright violations ... Jiangsu (Simplified Chinese: 江苏; Traditional Chinese: 江蘇; Hanyu Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Chiang-su; Postal System Pinyin: Kiangsu) is a province of the Peoples Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. ... General Name, Symbol, Number copper, Cu, 29 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 11, 4, d Appearance metallic pinkish red Standard atomic weight 63. ... Not to be confused with the neighboring province of Shaanxi Shanxi (Chinese: 山西; pinyin: Shānxī; Wade-Giles: Shan-hsi; Postal System Pinyin: Shansi) is a northern province of the Peoples Republic of China. ... Henan (Chinese: 河南; Hanyu Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Ho-nan), is a province of the Peoples Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. ... Amida Buddha, Kotokuin The Great Buddha of Kamakura (大仏, daibutsu) is a monumental outdoor bronze statue of Amida Buddha in the Kotokuin Temple in Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. ... Categories: Cities in Kanagawa Prefecture | Japan geography stubs ... General Name, Symbol, Number copper, Cu, 29 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 11, 4, d Appearance metallic pinkish red Standard atomic weight 63. ... Tōdai-ji (東大寺) (meaning the Eastern Great Temple),[1] is a Buddhist temple complex located in the city of Nara, Japan. ... Nara ) is the capital city of Nara Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan. ... General Name, Symbol, Number copper, Cu, 29 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 11, 4, d Appearance metallic pinkish red Standard atomic weight 63. ...

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Tian Tan Buddha

• Chinese Buddhism
• Buddhist art
• List of statues by height

Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... The Wikimedia Commons (also called Wikicommons) is a repository of free content images, sound and other multimedia files. ... This article explores how Buddhism, a Indian origin, has affected and been affected by Chinese culture, politics, literature and philosophy. ... Footprint of the Buddha. ... List of statues by height: Ushiku Daibutsu (depicts Amitabha Buddha); Ushiku, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan 120 m. ...

References

is the 309th day of the year (310th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... The New Straits Times is a Malaysian English-language newspaper. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... is the 364th day of the year (365th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• About the top 5 biggest Buddha statues in China
• Pictures of the Po Lin Monastery and the Tian Tan Buddha
• Hong Kong's official factsheet (Simplified Chinese)PDF (300 KiB)

Coordinates: 22°15′14″N, 113°54′17″E Portable Document Format (PDF) is a file format created by Adobe Systems in 1993 for desktop publishing use. ... A kibibyte (a contraction of kilo binary byte) is a unit of information or computer storage, commonly abbreviated KiB (never kiB). 1 kibibyte = 210 bytes = 1,024 bytes The kibibyte is closely related to the kilobyte, which can be used either as a synonym for kibibyte or to refer to... Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...