Unbeknownst to some, there's more to do than just to climb up the 286 steps to be closer to the iconic and humongous Tian Tan Buddha statue at Lantau Island in Hong Kong!
There's the exhibition hall located right below the lotus throne with a separate entrance in the middle where you can fork out HKD $45 (about S$8.00) to check out a relic of Gautama Buddha (plus other things).
The HKD $45 ticket would be converted into a voucher that can be used to exchange for a vegetarian set including bee hoon, soya beancurd and snack. If you are not hungry, you can offset the voucher for food, drinks or souvenirs from associated stores at the statue / the nearby Po Lin Monastery.
Alex and i were too stingy and decided to give it a miss; hence, we wandered around the perimeter of the exhibition hall and gained some information on the statue, including its casting, finishing and assembling.
Some tiles that you can purchase for an installation at Po Lin Monastery; the most expensive cost HKD $2 million! The cost price is likely a fraction but well; that's why many religious organisations are so rich!
Surrounding the hall were rows and columns of white tiles / papers with names of individuals; somewhat like ancestral tablets that were placed in temples. Most had words while some included pictures. One stood out though and it's hard not to be drawn towards it.
With a panel that's bigger than the rest and coupled with posters, bouquets of flowers etc, it belonged to one of Cantopop's most successful diva in the 1980s to early 2000s; Ms Anita Mui who passed away in 2003 due to cervical cancer.
Exiting from another entrance where you can see two smaller bronze statues. Part of the "The Offering of the Six Devas", the collective six of them "symbolise the Six Perfections of generosity, morality, patience, zeal, meditation, and wisdom".
Those who did pay the HKD $45 would be able to exit from an opening cut out from the lotus throne; after catching a glance or two of the Buddha's relic.
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For the summary of my seven days' itinerary to Hong Kong (with a day trip to Shenzhen), please click here.
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