Seeking suggestions for a trip to Hong Kong

[padmini]

Hello everyone,
I hope this is the right place to post this. In December I will be travelling to Hong Kong for a couple of weeks. I know Hong Kong is not a Theravada place, and that actually HK Buddhism is inextricably linked to Daoism and other local customs. However, I am still very excited to visit a place where Buddhism is part of people's everyday life.

I plan to see the sights and of course visit the Lin Po Monastery with its huge Buddha statue. But I was wondering if you have any suggestions on other Buddhist places I should visit in the Hong Kong area (including the Guangzhou province). I would also like to take the opportunity to purchase a statue of the Buddha , any suggestions on how to choose one, or where I should go to get it?

[DNS]

I haven't been to Hong Kong yet, but if I do go, I'd want to visit the big Buddha on Lantau Island and take the stairs to the top.

[mikenz66]

Yes the Big Buddha at the Po Lin Monastery is as awesome day trip.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Po_Lin_Monastery
Don't miss the other things there, including old tea plantations, and the Heart Sutra installation:
http://www.discoverhongkong.com/nz/see- ... m-path.jsp

Wong Tai Sin temple is worth a visit. Easily accessible by MTR and lots of activity:
http://www.discoverhongkong.com/nz/see- ... temple.jsp

10,000 Buddhas Monastery is more of a trip (but much less than Po Lin)
http://www.hongkongextras.com/_ten_thou ... stery.html

There are some Theravada monasteries, which mostly cater to Thai residents. I'm not sure exactly where they are. When I was in Hong Kong the monks would sometimes come to Thai areas for alms rounds...

Ten years ago I used to go to a meditation group in Tsim Sha Tsui, but the monk who lived there passed away a few years ago. Not sure if it is still active:
https://dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?t=22639
https://dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?t=25539

There is a lot of other interesting stuff to visit, such as the Tin Hau temples...
This one is at the end of Temple Street (a popular market):
http://www.discoverhongkong.com/nz/see- ... ma-tei.jsp

Also, don't overlook museums such as the Hong Kong Museum of Art, which will often have Buddhist artifacts on display.


Mike

[padmini]

Thank you so much for the advice Mike and David.

[mikenz66]

Hmm, I see the Art Museum is currently closed for renovation...

If you are a fan of Hong Kong movies, 10,000 Buddhas has a cameo in Infernal Affairs (remade by Scorsese as The Departed). The Chinese title refers to Avici Hell, hence "Infernal"... A big budget movie with several superstars and beautiful panoramas from rooftops.

And Wong Kar Wai's movies have various Buddhist references, particularly 2046 (which pulls together characters and ideas from several of his other movies).

And for a different style of Police movie from Infernal Affairs, grittier and lower budget, watch One Nite in Mongkok. Not much in the way of Buddhist references, apart from this exchange between two plain-clothes cops:

- I need to go home for dinner.
You are on shift now. You are getting paid.
- It's Christmas!
It's the 23rd. It's not even Christmas eve!
You wanna go sing Christmas carols?
I thought you're a Buddhist?

However the scenes on the streets mentioned in the movie: Temple Street, Portland Street, Shan Tung street, Yin Chong street (English spellings may vary), give you a realistic idea of the bustle of Yau Ma Tei and Mongkok, day and night. There is also a scene on the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront, with views of fireworks on the Hong Kong Island buildings. Depending on your proclivities, that bustle is either exhilarating or off-putting. What is particularly remarkable for me about that movie is that I once stayed in the Evergreen Hotel (which is just a random cheap hotel, one block from Temple Street in Yau Ma Tei), where one of the characters goes when he arrives from China... The lobby, corridors, and rooms are just like I remember (the movie was 2004, I was there in 2006). Thankfully, the police didn't break down my door...


Mike

[JadeRabbit]

Hi, I just got back from a holiday in HK and my favourite place was Chi Lin Nunnery and Nan Lian Garden:

http://www.discoverhongkong.com/uk/see- ... garden.jsp

[padmini]

If you are a fan of Hong Kong movies, 10,000 Buddhas has a cameo in Infernal Affairs (remade by Scorsese as The Departed). The Chinese title refers to Avici Hell, hence "Infernal"... A big budget movie with several superstars and beautiful panoramas from rooftops.

I actually LOVE HK movies, they are one of the reasons why I'm going there. So thank you for the references! I plan to visit some places where films have been shot, definitely including the 10000 Buddhas.
Do you think around these monasteries I will be able to purchase a Buddha statue? Is it worth purchasing it there?

Hi, I just got back from a holiday in HK and my favourite place was Chi Lin Nunnery and Nan Lian Garden:
http://www.discoverhongkong.com/uk/see- ... garden.jsp

Thank you, that definitely goes on my list.

[mikenz66]

Hi, I just got back from a holiday in HK and my favourite place was Chi Lin Nunnery and Nan Lian Garden:

http://www.discoverhongkong.com/uk/see- ... garden.jsp

That looks cool. I'll have to check that out next time I get to Hong Kong...


Mike

[mikenz66]

Do you think around these monasteries I will be able to purchase a Buddha statue? Is it worth purchasing it there?.

It's been a while since I visited those places, but Po Lin Monastery certainly has a shop: https://www.plm.org.hk/eng/food.php and I do have a small statue that I purchased there ten years ago.


Mike

[mikenz66]

I actually LOVE HK movies, they are one of the reasons why I'm going there. So thank you for the references! I plan to visit some places where films have been shot, definitely including the 10000 Buddhas.

Yes, it's fun to see that stuff. Of course, many movies make use of the various aspects of the city. There's a walk of fame on the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront where you can compare your hands with Jackie Chan's handprints...

Wong Kar Wai's movie Chungking Express was partly shot in Chunking Mansions in Tsim Sha Tsui (where I always get hassled mercilessly by Indians selling fake watches) and Lan Kwai Fong (on Hong Kong Island). Some of the Lan Kwai Fong scenes are in cinematographer Christopher Doyle's apartment by the escalator... I suspect that there was a deliberate joke in how the movie seems to imply that these places are close together.

Ironically, a couple of Wong Kar Wai's movies recreating 60's Hong Kong (In the Mood for Love and 2046) make use of Bangkok's China Town for many of the exteriors, since the period buildings are now gone.

Lust, Caution, set before and during WW2, has some scenes shot at The University of Hong Kong, and Mid-levels (as well as recreating 1940s Shanghai...).

Have a great trip.


Mike

[padmini]

Have a great trip.


Mike

Thank you, I can't wait!

[Dharmic]

Hi,

I wish you a happy and successful trip.

[padmini]

Hi everyone,

I just wanted to report back on my trip. It was really amazing, and I visited many Buddhist temples including Lantau Big Buddha, Chi Lin Nunnery, 10,000 Buddhas and Western Monastery. They were all very impressive, but the Big Buddha was a bit too much of a tourist attraction for my taste.

Chi Lin Nunnery and Western Monastery were the most impressive and fascinating for me, especially the latter, which is not very popular amongst tourists. It is a little oasis of peace and mindfulness in the middle of the chaos of the city.

10,000 Buddhas was impressive too, I particularly loved the Guanyin statues and the peaceful atmosphere.

I couldn't find a Buddha statue (or better, I found many but they were really expensive), but I'll always keep in my heart the feeling I got when entering for the first time a Buddhist temple as a Buddhist.

[LG2V]

That's cool. Your trip seems awesome.

[mikenz66]

Thanks for the report. I'm travelling to Hong Kong next week and I haven't been to the Chi Lin Nunnery or the Western Monastery, so I'll try to make it to those places...

Chi Lin Nunnery and Western Monastery were the most impressive and fascinating for me, especially the latter, which is not very popular amongst tourists. It is a little oasis of peace and mindfulness in the middle of the chaos of the city.

10,000 Buddhas was impressive too, I particularly loved the Guanyin statues and the peaceful atmosphere.

Mike

[mikenz66]

Coincidentally, the latest copy of City Life, a free magazine by the HK Hotels Association, has an article about Chinese Temples in Hong Kong, which covers some of the same ground:
http://hkcitylife.com/index.php?route=p ... ct_id=2314
Not all the Temples in there are Buddhist, of course.


Mike