Tian Tan Buddha 天壇大佛 - a photo on Flickriver

            Lantau Island

The statue is named Tian Tan Buddha because its base is a model of the Altar of Heaven or Earthly Mount of Tian Tan, the Temple of Heaven in Beijing. It is one of the five large Buddha statues in China. The Buddha statue sits peacefully on a lotus throne on top of a three-platform altar. It is surrounded by eight smaller bronze statues representing gods or immortals.

The Buddha is 34 meters high, weighs 250 tonnes, and is the world's tallest outdoor bronze seated Buddha.[1] until in 2007, a bronze buddha in Nam Mireuk Temple of Gangjin, Jeollanam-do (South Jeolla Province) beat the record by 2 meters (http://korea.net/news/news/newsView.asp?serial_no=20070408007&part=106&SearchDay=). It can even be seen as far away as Macau on a clear day. Visitors have to climb 268 steps in order to reach the Buddha, though the site also features a small winding road to the Buddha for vehicles to accommodate the physically challenged.

The Tian Tan Buddha appears serene and dignified. His right hand is raised, representing the removal of affliction. His left hand rests on his lap in a gesture of giving (dhana). The Buddha faces north which is unique among the great Buddha statues. (All others face South.)

In addition there are 3 floors at the bottom of Buddha: The Hall of Universe, The Hall of Benevolent Merit and The Hall of Remembrance. One of the most renowned features inside is a relic of Sakyamuni, consisting of some of his alleged cremated remains. There is a huge carved bell inscribed with images of Buddhas in the show room. It was designed to ring every seven minutes, 108 times a day, symbolizing the release of 108 kinds of human vexations.

[edit] History

The Tian Tan Buddha was constructed beginning in 1990, and was finished on December 29, 1993, the birthday of Sakyamuni. The construction costs of the giant Buddha were estimated to be up to $68 million. It was formed out of 202 separate pieces of bronze. In addition to the exterior components, there is a strong steel framework inside the statue to support the heavy load and wind pressure.

When the statue was completed, monks from around the world were invited to the opening ceremony. Distinguished visitors from mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Thailand, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and the United States all took part in the proceedings.

On October 18, 1999 the Hong Kong Post Office issued a stamp depicting the Tian Tan Buddha. The MTR corporation has also issued a tourist souvenir ticket featuring a photograph of the statue.

Aug 28, 2007 #487 Flickr Explore Interestingness
Taken on: August 4, 2007
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