Feel the Serenity at the Giant Buddha's Feet

The Tian Tan Buddha located at Ngong Ping on Lantau Island, Honk Kong, is the largest outdoor bronze seated Buddha statue in the world. It is 34 meters and weighs 250 tonnes. It is one of the five large Buddha statues in China and is a major tourist attraction and an important center for Buddhism. The statue is called Tian Tan because of its base which is a model of the Earthly Mount Tian Tan in Beijing, also called as the Temple or Altar of Heaven. Due to its sheer size, it is called as the Giant Buddha and can be seen from as far as Macau, on a clear day.

The statue was completed in 1993. In order to reach the Giant Buddha, visitors have to climb 268 steps, although there is a road made to accommodate vehicles in case of handicapped persons. The Giant Buddha sits on a throne shaped like a lotus flower, atop a three-platform altar. Around the statue are 8 smaller statues of gods. Beneath the statue are three floors, with one hall on each: The Hall of Universe, The Hall of Benevolent Merit, and The Hall of Remembrance. A relic of Sakyamuni is contained inside, along with some of his cremated remains. Another attraction is a huge bell inscribed with the images of the Buddha, initially designed to ring every 7 minutes, 108 times a day, meant to signify the release of 108 kinds of human vexes.

The Giant Buddha symbolizes harmony between man and nature, people and religion. This is evident on the serene and dignified expression on the statue's face. Like all other Buddha statues, this is also highly symbolic of Buddha’s teachings. The raised right hand shows removal of affliction and the left hand, resting on the lap, shows a gesture of giving dhana. However, unlike other statues of the Buddha, which face south, this one faces north. The statue is also an image of Buddha Amitabha, like the Daibutsu in Kamakura, Japan.

The Giant Buddha is located away from the main Hong Kong Island, so you can choose to stay at a Hong Kong hotel nearby and take the skyrail in the early morning hours to visit and spend the day at the feet of the Giant Buddha. The Cosmopolitan Hotel is among the recommended Hong Kong Island hotels for you to check out.

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Naveen Marasinghe is an Online Marketing Executive at eMarketingEye which is a search engine marketing agency that offers integrated Internet marketing solutions and specializes in serving the online travel and hospitality industry. (http://www.emarketingeye.com/ )