Xianghai Lianshe Banchun Garden

Xianghai Lianshe Banchun Garden

Banchun Garden, officially known as Xianghai Lianshe Banchun Garden, spans over 2 million square feet and is the largest Buddhist temple in Hong Kong’s Tai Po District in the New Territories. It is located in Shek Ku Lung in western Tai Po. The former residence of Wong Siu Wai is listed as a Grade II historic building in Hong Kong; its Mahavira Hall, Dewei Hall, and glass house are listed as Grade III historic buildings.

Banchun Garden was built in the early 1930s and was originally situated on Kam Shan. It was constructed by a lay Buddhist named Wong Siu Wai on family-owned land for the purpose of meditation.

Wong Siu Wai, also known as Wong Dewei, ran the “Wing Lee Wai Winery” in Hong Kong, which primarily produced Wu Jia Pi wine and rose wine, exporting them overseas. Later, Wong Siu Wai devoted himself to Buddhism and even traveled to Shanghai to become a disciple of Master Yin Guang. In 1928, he established the “Duoduo Buddhist Society” in Po Kong Village. In the 1930s, he purchased the current site of Banchun Garden. In 1953, Wong Siu Wai relocated the “Duoduo Buddhist Society” to Banchun Garden to serve as a practice site. He added landscaped mountain scenery and multiple halls, including a Mahavira Hall that houses the “Three Western Saints” brought from Jiangsu. A pair of bronze qilin statues guard the entrance to the hall. Some of the pavilions and towers built at that time still retain their original appearance.

In 1967, Wong Siu Wai’s widow, Wong Lo Siu Chun, handed over Banchun Garden to Xianghai Lianshe for management. Xianghai Lianshe was founded in 1933 by Tsang Pik Shan, Li Gong Tat, Chow Fat Wai, and others. The garden was renamed “Xianghai Lianshe Banchun Garden.” The Mahavira Hall and the Sacred Lotus Pond were renovated, and additional structures such as the Ksitigarbha Hall, Guanyin Hall, Scripture Depository, and Ancestral Memorial Hall were built successively.

Transportation Guide

Address: 17 Shek Lin Road, Tai Po, Hong Kong

Getting There: Take New Territories minibuses route 22K to get there