KONG MENG SAN PHOR KARK SEE MONASTERY

Kong Meng serves as a sanctuary for people who seek a spiritual retreat in urban Singapore. It was originally built to provide shelter for the Buddhist monks, and spread the wisdom of Buddhism throughout Singapore.

Take a couple of hours to explore Kong Meng which features the Pagoda of 10000 Buddhas and prayer halls as large as ten football fields.

Explore budget-friendly Singapore tour packages to visit Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery, Singapore's first and largest Buddhist sanctuary, spanning a massive 75,470 sq m area. Located in Bishan, this monastery, built by Zhuan Dao in 1920-21, is a sacred place for Buddhists. Kong Meng is renowned for housing one of Asia's largest statues of Buddha in the Hall of No Form. Standing at 13.8 meters tall and weighing approximately 55 tonnes, this magnificent bronze statue is a sight to behold.

The sacred Bodhi tree at the quaint temple, holds significant value to the preachers of Buddhism who call this monastery theri home. The sapling of this particular tree was brought from the sacred Bodhi tree at Anuradhapura in Sri Lanka, which was originally retrieved from the Bodhi Tree of Bodh Gaya in India. This is the popular site where the Buddha is known to have attained enlightenment.

Other remarkable features of Kong Meng include the grand statue of Avalokitesvara which is situated between the Pagoda of 10,000 Buddhas and Dharma Hall. Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery is a must-visit for people who are interested in Buddhism and wish to learn about it.

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Highlights

• The monastery features grand prayer halls which are comparable to ten football fields along with the Pagoda of 10,000 Buddhas.
• Free guided tours are organized by the monastery between 10:00 AM and 12:00 PM, where you are invited to learn about the history of the sanctuary and the customs of the Buddhist monks living there.
• Several engaging activities with an objective to propagate the teachings of Buddhism are held here. Various talks, courses on meditations, a variety of retreats along with seminars and workshops are frequently organized by the monastery.
• Six distinct Shrine Halls at Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery offer the visitors a chance to practice compassion and gratitude along with indulging in meditations and practices which are conducted by the monastery.
• Zen Gardens and Ponds that are functional from 07:00 AM to 07:00 PM allow the visitors to enjoy peaceful walks around the Koi ponds and through the gardens.
• To honor the second abbot of the Monastery, the Venerable Hong Choon Museum was built. The memorial has many of his personal items and relics, and is only open to the public from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM on the 27th day of every lunar month and specific dates; you can easily find more information about the same on the official website.

How To Reach

Location: 88 Bright Hill Rd, Singapore

By Car/Cab: You should navigate to 'Kong Meng San' or ‘Bright Hill Temple’ on Sin Ming Avenue. The drop off should be at Bright Hill Road main entrance. You can park your car at the three parking spaces which are available at the monastery; namely ‘Multi-Storey Car Parking (P2)’, ‘Parking lot in front of the Ten Thousand Buddha Pagoda (P3)’, ‘Parking in front of the Hong Choon Memorial Hall (P1)’.

MRT: Bishan MRT (NS17/CC15) is the nearest station to the monastery. From Bishan Bus Interchange, you should take bus No. 410 (white plate) or No. 52 which will take you to the Monastery within 10 minutes.

Bus: Bus numbers ‘52’, ‘162’, ‘162 M’ and ‘410’ will bring you to ‘Gate 3’ of the monastery.

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Best Time To Visit

Early mornings around 09:00 AM is usually the best time to visit Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery, as you get to explore the surreal monastery before going for the free guided tour along the premises. The monastery conducts free tours for the visitors between 10:00 AM and 12:00 PM.

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