Hong Kong's East Guanyin Temple (Dongputuo Lecture Temple)

　　Dongputuo Lecture Temple is located at Laowei Village at the foot of Qianfo Mountain in Tsuen Wan, Hong Kong. It is a monastery built in the style of Hangzhou’s Putuo Temple in Zhejiang Province, China. It was founded in 1932 by Venerable Miao Feng. The temple has always been managed by the monastic community. Since it was relatively unknown in the past, the environment here has remained very serene. Prior to the handover, due to operational difficulties and to prevent the temple from closing, it was handed over to the Chinese Temples Committee. After that, thanks to extensive promotion, the temple now receives a large number of visitors. Both the interior and exterior of the temple have been renovated, but it has lost some of its former tranquil charm.

　　History

　　Dongputuo Lecture Temple was founded in 1932 by Venerable Miao Feng. Miao Feng was from Bobai, Guangxi. He was born in the 14th year of the Guangxu reign (1888) and was ordained at Huiju Temple (now known as Longchang Temple) on Baohua Mountain in Nanjing at the age of 29. In 1924, he was invited to preach at Lingquan Temple in Taiwan. In 1927, he came to Hong Kong from Taiwan to promote Buddhism. Passing through Laowei Village, he climbed Qianshi Mountain and toured Dashuikeng. Impressed by the grand landscape, he identified it as an ideal place to build a Buddhist temple. With funds raised, he established the temple. Construction began in 1930 and was completed two years later. Noticing that the scenery around Qianshi Mountain bore some resemblance to Mount Putuo, he named it “East Putuo” and renamed Qianshi Mountain to Qianfo Mountain, as well as Dashuikeng to Sandie Tan.

　　Architectural Features

　　Dongputuo Lecture Temple features numerous pavilions and halls: the Yuantong Treasure Hall, renovated in 1949, is located at the center of the temple and houses statues of Guanyin, the Three Saints of the West, Maitreya Buddha, Manjushri Bodhisattva, and Samantabhadra Buddha. At the front are the Heavenly King Hall, Skanda Hall, and Guanyin Hall; at the back is the Scripture Depository; on the left are the Guest Hall and the Longevity Hall; on the right are the Ancestral Hall and the Merit Hall. There are also scattered structures and scenic spots throughout Qianfo Mountain such as the Yinhai Hall, Bodhi Tree, Jingye Hall, Wuguan Hall, West Guest Hall, Zen Hall, Yunshui Hall, Library, Guest Hall, and Bamboo Pavilion.

　　Treasured Relics

　　Dongputuo is most famed for its “Three Greats”: the “Great Buddha,” the “Great Tripod,” and the “Great Cauldron.” Behind the large tripod in the main hall are inscribed the words “weighing over 600 jin, made by Shengdian,” making it one of Hong Kong’s rare Buddhist cultural relics. To commemorate Venerable Miao Feng, the “Miaogong Memorial Hall” was built in 1967. Its treasured collections include:

　　Calligraphy by Master Hongyi: Hongyi, whose lay name was Li Shutong, studied in Japan in his early years and was a renowned musician and artist before becoming a monk.

　　“Five-Character Couplet” and “Flower-and-Bird Paintings” by Gao Jianfu and Zhao Shao’ang, painters of the Lingnan School.

　　The “Yellow Satin Gold-Embroidered Five Robes” bestowed by Emperor Hirohito of Japan: In 1924, Venerable Miao Feng was invited to preach at Lingquan Temple in Keelung, Taiwan. He stayed in Taiwan for three years, giving sermons and converting over ten thousand followers. The then Japanese Governor-General of Taiwan and his officials also attended his lectures and reported the event to the Japanese Emperor, who decreed the gift of the golden embroidered five robes to Venerable Miao Feng—making him the first monk outside Japan in 300 years to receive such an honor.

　　Transportation Guide

　　Address: 168 Lau Wong Road, Lau Fau Shan, Tsuen Wan District, Hong Kong

　　Getting There: Take MTR Tsuen Wan Line to Tsuen Wan Station and transfer to Green Minibus Route 81