If you want to enjoy a relaxing respite from the hustle and noise of Hong Kong, this Buddhist Nunnery is an ideal place to visit. It is evidently never very crowded because of its location, two stops beyond the Wong Tai Sin Temple exit off the MTR. It was almost totally empty the Saturday afternoon Pam and I visited the place.

It is a gem of Chinese religious architecture. Originally built in 1934, the nunnery was reopened in 2000 after a multimillion-dollar renovation done in traditional Tang-era (AD 618-907) style. Only wooden dowels and brackets were used in the reconstruction. It may be the largest building in the world that had no nails used in its construction. It’s difficult to imagine such a feat, but that fact might explain why it took 11 years to complete the work, a marvelous achievement.

We wandered around the 8-acre site for almost an hour. There are 16 Buddhist halls to see, as well as a Zen-style lotus-pond rock garden and a Ten Thousand Buddhas pagoda. Outside the walls of the monastery, there is a beautiful garden with paths for strolling and benches for sitting. This garden is open even when the Nunnery is closed.

Two of the four main halls contain statues of the Medicine Master and the Goddess of Mercy. The Patriarch Hall features many tablets containing the writings of Buddhist sages. As you might guess, the Main Hall contains a statue of Shakyamuni Buddha, the founder of Buddhism 2,500 years ago.

There are other outstanding sights, such as the symmetrical Bell Tower and the Drum Tower, at the entrance, meant to greet and guide people as well as guard the Nunnery. Just beyond the entrance is the Lotus Rock Garden. Truly peaceful and beautiful, it features blooming lotuses. Unfortunately, they weren’t blooming the day we were there. Northwest of the Main Hall, Pu Tong Tower is used to store the ashes of deceased nuns.

We found out later that on Sundays from 11am to 4pm, you can partake of a vegetarian lunch at the self-service restaurant. You may have to ask how to get there.

You can take photos of everything except the interior of the Buddhist Halls. Forbidden lest you interrupt people’s prayers, I was told.

To get there, take the MTR to Diamond Hill Station, Exit C2, and then walk uphill along Sheung Yuen Street and eastbound along Fung Tak Road for about 5 minutes. The Nunnery is located at the northern end of Chi Lin Drive. It’s impossible to miss. Entrance is free, and it’s open from 9am to 4:30pm every day except Wednesday. The garden’s hours are 6:30am to 7pm.