Scholarship Entry : Lantau Island

Hong Kong was the first overseas trip I ever took. It was all I hoped it would be with its busy cityscapes, flashing neon signage and treasure-filled markets. The part of my trip that I will never forget was my visit to Lantau Island to see the Tian Tan Buddha. After a vegetarian feast at the Po Lin Monastery I took a bus to ‘The Big Buddha’ as dubbed by the locals. The Big Buddha, at 34 meters tall, is the world’s largest seated Buddha. The enormity of the solid bronze statue was a feast for the eyes and in many ways the senses. The gentle breezes and the wafting incense offerings gave the place a peace and quietude, even with the large tour groups and devout locals.
The Buddha sits on a lotus flower, with one hand raised; a symbol of peace and removal of affliction. From most angles the largeness of the statue blocks out the sun creating the effect of a bright halo around the Buddha and the perfect opportunity for some great photos. Surrounding the Buddha are six bronze statues depicting ‘The Six Devas’ with arms outstretched toward the Buddha holding various offerings in their palms. Underneath the Buddha is a hall with artworks and statues depicting the story of Lord Gautama, the figure on which the statue is based. After viewing the intricate artworks on display, I was able to view a large carved bell and detailed jade statues in the upper levels of the hall.
When I had finished viewing the temple and statue I took the stairway back down to the Po Lin Monastery. These steps are filled with tourists of all nationalities, locals with their offerings and ladies shading their faces from the sun with bright bobbing parasols. Descending the stairs and looking back toward the statue, the Buddha looked even more astounding than when up close. While going down the 268 steps I thought of Lantau Island’s reputation of being the ‘Lungs of Honk Kong’. As opposed the smog filled city of Kowloon, Lantau Island is a place clear air and quiet. The whole Island seems to be born of another era with many of the surrounding fishing villages using the same fishing methods they used 50 years ago. As a tourist visiting Lantau Island you really get a deep sense of the importance of heritage and religion in Honk Kong culture. After reaching the Po Lin monastery I made my way back to Hong Kong via the Ngong Ping 360 cable car. Even after 20 minutes of travel I could still see the Tian Tan Buddha in the cloudy distance; his hand held upright, facing toward mainland China.