Hong Kong Guan Zong Temple

Hong Kong Guan Zong Temple

Hong Kong Guan Zong Temple traces its lineage back to the founder of Tiantai Buddhism, Master Zhiyi, and was first established for teaching and meditation practice by Master Fazhi, known as the Revered One of Siming, in Ningbo, Zhejiang. By the Song Dynasty, during the time of Master Jiaran Faxian of Siming, it was developed into the Sixteen Contemplation Hall, laying the foundation for scholarly teachings. It was not until the early years of the Republic of China that the 43rd patriarch of Tiantai Buddhism, Master Dixian, with the aspiration to revive the ancestral teachings, initiated the reconstruction of the lecture hall and renamed it “Guan Zong Lecture Temple.” In February 2004, it was approved by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government to become the first Buddhist temple in Hong Kong authorized to conduct legal Buddhist weddings. The current abbot is Venerable Hongming.

Covering an area of over 20,000 square feet, Guan Zong Temple boasts an elegant environment and majestic architecture. The upper level houses the Mahavira Hall, enshrining the Three Buddhas in a serene and solemn setting. The rear hall is the Guanyin Hall, which preserves a historically valuable palm-leaf manuscript of the Sanskrit Buddhist canon and precious scriptures, making it an ideal place for study and practice. The lower level hall enshrines a white jade statue of Sakyamuni Buddha. Besides being used for worship and scripture chanting, it also serves as a recreational center for two elderly care homes adjacent to the temple, providing activity space for the residents. Behind the lower hall lies the Memorial Hall of Venerable Baojing, where his relics and image are enshrined. On the right side of the temple entrance stands a stupa built in memory of Venerable Baojing.

As early as the 1960s, Guan Zong Temple constructed the Buddhist Baojing Elderly Home on its current site, accommodating over a hundred elderly individuals living in solitude and hardship. Later, to keep up with social development, the Buddhist Baojing Nursing Elderly Home was built. Both homes are located within the temple grounds and are managed by the Heung Hoi Ching Kok Lin Society. In the mid-1990s, due to the dilapidated condition of the elderly homes, and with the support of patrons and the government, a new-style nursing care facility was rebuilt on the same site, providing well-equipped and comfortable accommodations for over 260 elders. In addition to elderly services, Guan Zong Temple also operates two secondary schools, three primary schools, one kindergarten, and two schools for individuals with intellectual disabilities. The temple is generally open to worshippers daily and regularly hosts events such as the Bathing the Buddha Festival, the Ten Thousand Buddhas Repentance Ceremony, Intensive Buddha Recitation Seven-Day Retreats, the Lotus Sutra Recitation Ceremony, the Heavenly Beings Worship and Blessing Ceremony, and the Universal Prayer Ceremony for the Birthdays of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.

Hong Kong’s First Buddhist Wedding

On March 20, 2004, Hong Kong’s first legally recognized Buddhist wedding took place, with the certificate signed by the President of the Hong Kong Buddhist Association, Venerable Kok Kwong, who served as the officiant. The couple, lawyer Mr. Lam Chi-tat and Miss Cheng Sui-yee, performed the wedding ceremony by offering incense, paying homage, and chanting Buddhist sutras, becoming the first Buddhist couple united in matrimony.

Transportation Guide

Venue Address: 12 Chee Fuk Court, North District, Hong Kong

Getting There: By taxi