Hong Kong Chasan Temple

Hong Kong Chasan Temple

Located in Tai O Mun, Clear Water Bay, Chasan Temple is backed by lush green mountains and faces the sea, offering an elegant environment and stunning views. Visitors can get there by taking a bus to Big or Small Clear Water from Choi Hung MTR Station. The temple consists of two parts: one part serves as a space for monks to meditate and chant scriptures, including a Buddha hall, stupa, laypersons' building, and Merit Hall; the other part houses the Mahavira Hall and a home for the elderly.

Two Renowned Temples

Hong Kong’s Chasan Temple shares its name with the renowned Chasan Temple in Qingdao, both named in honor of the great master Tanxu. Master Tanxu, whose secular name was Wang Futing, became a monk at the age of 40. He received full ordination from Master Dixian at Ningbo Guanzong Temple and studied Tiantai teachings at a Buddhist research institute. Later, he founded Lingyan Temple in Yingkou, Jile Temple in Harbin, Bore Temple in Changchun, and Chasan Temple in Qingdao. Each of these temples included a Buddhist academy, nurturing countless monastics. He also frequently gave sermons in the northeast, greatly promoting the Tiantai school across northern China. In 1949, with the support of layperson Ye Gongchuo and Monk Ledo, Master Tan came to Hong Kong to preside over Jing She and established the “South China Buddhist Academy” within it—the first monastic school in Hong Kong. The monks trained there had a profound impact on the future development of Buddhism in Hong Kong. The founder of Hong Kong Chasan Temple, Master Baodeng, was among the first graduates of the Buddhist Academy.

After Master Tan’s passing, Master Baodeng vowed to build a monastery to honor his teacher. In 1964, his call was met with widespread support, and benefactors such as Ho Ying-chi, Run Run Shaw, Ann Tse-kai, and Tin Yuen-ho donated generously. With the enthusiastic backing of many patrons and devotees, he purchased a plot of land on Tai O Mun in Clear Water Bay. Following the architectural style of Qingdao’s Chasan Temple, he founded Hong Kong Chasan Temple on this land. Within the temple grounds, he selected an excellent location to construct the stupa of Master Tanxu, which enjoys a scenic setting by the sea and against the mountains, surrounded by lush greenery.

In line with Master Tan’s legacy, Master Baodeng not only established Chasan Temple but also dedicated himself to education and elder care. In 1966, Monk Xichen was elected president of the Sangha Council, with Master Baodeng serving as vice president. In 1969, he founded a Buddhist college on Fuk Wah Street in Kowloon. In 1970, he acquired school premises on Yee Kuk Street in Kowloon, which were rebuilt into a seven-story building in 1971, and the college was renamed Nengren College. Monk Xichen served as supervisor, with Master Baodeng as vice supervisor. After Monk Xichen passed away in May 1993, Master Baodeng succeeded him as president of the Sangha Council and supervisor of the college. He continued to establish Huiwen Middle School (originally named Buddhist English Middle School), which later relocated to Ma Wo Shan in Tai Po and was renamed Huiwen Middle School. He also moved the Nengren College branch in Tsuen Wan to Tuen Mun and renamed it Huiyuan Middle School. Additionally, in the early 1970s, he founded Cide Elderly Home next to Chasan Temple, which currently houses over 60 elderly residents.

Master Baodeng also made tireless efforts to promote the development of Buddhism. Between 1992 and 1997, he contributed HK$10 million to renovate 13 temples on the mainland, including Yongming Temple on Daxiang Mountain in Gansu; a temple on Kongtong Mountain; Jinglian Temple in Hebei; Huayan Temple, Sansheng Temple, Guanyin Temple, and Qianfo Temple in Shanxi; Ganlu Temple in Inner Mongolia; and Fahua Temple in Shandong. To nurture monastics, he also supported the revival of funding for Chinese Buddhist academies, achieving immeasurable merit.

Master Baodeng cultivated extensive connections and was deeply respected by all. As a result, Chasan Temple houses many precious cultural relics, such as an ivory carving of the Eighteen Arhats from the Song Dynasty, a porcelain vase from the Chenghua period of the Ming Dynasty, and calligraphy and letters left by Master Xuyun and Master Tanxu. Master Baodeng passed away in March 1997, and after cremation, like his teacher, he left behind thousands of multicolored relics.

Far-Reaching Buddhist Chants

The Mahavira Hall of Chasan Temple covers an area of over 8,000 square feet and stands more than 40 feet tall. It enshrines statues of Sakyamuni Buddha, Amitabha Buddha, Bhaisajyaguru Buddha, Maitreya Buddha, Guanyin Bodhisattva, Skanda, and Arhats. Among them, the Myanmar jade statue of Sakyamuni Buddha was once the largest white jade seated Sakyamuni statue in Hong Kong during the 1980s. The temple holds five major ceremonies annually, including the Amitabha Ceremony in January (lunar calendar), the Founding Master Baodeng Memorial Ceremony in March, the Qingming Liangwang Baochan in April, the Ullambana Chanting in September, and the Double Ninth Bhaisajyaguru Ritual in November. The sound of sutra chanting and mantras fills the air continuously. The temple has nine resident monks and nuns who also conduct rituals, offering repentance ceremonies and scripture chanting for those in need.

In February 1998, a cultural delegation from the Sri Lankan government visited Chasan Temple and praised it as the most beautifully situated and auspiciously located temple in Asia. The country decided to build the largest stupa in Hong Kong at Chasan Temple, housing a national treasure of Sri Lanka—the relic of Sakyamuni Buddha. They also gifted the temple two saplings grown from branches taken from the Bodhi tree under which Sakyamuni attained enlightenment.

The current abbot and acting head, Monk Fozhi, a disciple of Master Baodeng, aims to expand the master’s legacy. He plans to renovate the Mahavira Hall, cast a bronze statue of Guanyin overlooking the sea, and build a stupa for Master Baodeng’s relics. The first completed project was the Chasan Jing She in Jordan, which was consecrated in December 1998 and hosts scripture lectures every Saturday afternoon from 3:30 to 6:00 PM.

Chasan Temple was registered as a non-profit limited company in the 1970s, with its affairs managed by a board of directors. Closely associated with the temple and governed by the same board are the Buddhist Youth Association of America and the Buddhist Society of Canada, founded in 1967. These two organizations have 15 temples in North America, including a Chasan Jing She in Toronto managed by Monks Xingkong and Chengxiang. With land allocated by the Canadian government, they also built the Ten Thousand Buddhas Duobao Temple near Niagara Falls, completed in 1999. The temple features a massive bronze Buddha and a 108-foot-high stupa, both grand in scale. To foster broader Buddhist connections, the Buddhist Youth Association of America is also committed to translating Buddhist scriptures into English to help locals better understand Buddhist teachings.

Transportation Guide

Address: 8 Lobster Bay Road, Clear Water Bay Road, Sai Kung District, Hong Kong

Getting There: Take Citybus route 91 and alight at Tai Au Mun Station, then walk to the temple.