Tian Tan Buddha

천단대불

The Tian Tan Buddha, also called the Big Buddha, is a large bronze statue at Ngong Ping on Lantau Island in Hong Kong, next to the Po Lin Monastery. It was completed in 1993 and sits on a lotus throne on top of a three-platform altar. The statue is 34 metres (112 feet) tall.

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At a glance

Country: Hong Kong SAR China
Location: Lantau Island, Hong Kong
Built: 1993
Height: 34 m
Type: Statue

Quick answers

Where is Tian Tan Buddha?

Tian Tan Buddha is in Lantau Island, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR China.

When was Tian Tan Buddha built?

Tian Tan Buddha was built in 1993.

How tall is Tian Tan Buddha?

Tian Tan Buddha is about 34 m tall.

A giant seated bronze Buddha on a Lantau hilltop, reached by 268 steps.

It weighs more than 250 tonnes and was built from 202 bronze pieces, held up by a strong steel frame inside. Visitors climb 268 steps to reach it. It is one of the five large Buddha images in China, and it appeared on Hong Kong postage stamps in 1999 and 2012.

Gestures and guardians

The Buddha's right hand is raised to show the removal of affliction, while the left hand rests open on his lap as a sign of generosity. Around him stand six smaller bronze statues called the Offering of the Six Devas. They hold up flowers, incense, a lamp, ointment, fruit and music, and stand for the six perfections: generosity, morality, patience, zeal, meditation and wisdom.

Inside and underneath

Three exhibit halls lie beneath the statue: the Hall of the Universe, the Hall of Benevolent Merit and the Hall of Remembrance. One of the most famous things inside is a relic of Gautama Buddha, said to be some of his cremated remains. The plan began in 1973, after monks from Po Lin visited the Great Buddha of Kamakura in Japan and the Great Buddha of Changhua in Taiwan. Construction started in 1990 and ended on 29 December 1993.

Fun facts

It was finished on 29 December 1993, a date the Chinese reckon as the day of the Buddha's enlightenment.
The statue is hollow, built from 202 bronze pieces on a steel frame.
The 2003 film Infernal Affairs III opens with a scene shot at the Big Buddha.