Vitasoka, the guardian of the temple, is clad in full armour and adorn with fierce weapons. He resides in a pavilion just outside the monastery. Another pavilion houses Kun Yam, Goddess of Mercy who is able to assume any shape to better aide those in need.

The crowning glory, the Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple, has more than 13,000 identical gold-plated ceramic Buddhas filling the walls of the temple. Although the sizes are uniform, the poses differ. Courtesy of worshippers and made by an artisan from Shanghai, the number of Buddhas continues to increase.

Temple of the Ner Tor, also called Amita Buddha Temple, contains the gold-plated 45’ high Amita Buddha who purportedly brings worshippers to his paradise after death. The preserved body of founder of the monastery, Reverend Yuet Kai, rests in a display case next to Amita.

The ancestral worship halls contain the names and pictures of loved ones along with urns serve as reminders. Outside paper versions of money, food, homes etc… burn as offerings to the deities on behalf of deceased relatives.

The upper level contains 4 temples, 2 of which, the Goddess of Mercy and God of Heavens are currently closed. In the Candi Buddha Temple resides Candi, mother of all Buddhas with 1000 eyes and arms to save her people from suffering and Kwan Tei, God of Righteousness who punishes bad behaviour and rewards good deeds. This pair is akin to earthly parents and therefore being housed in the same temple seems only appropriate.

The upper level, while equally as fascinating as the lower, is nonetheless different. The characters along the stairs change from being only male and completely gold to being both sexes in very colorful costumes. Moreover the statues are mostly women, many with something reminding me of halos.

So many interesting characters, it would be impossible to read descriptions on all of them, if there had been any available. Still, I would like to have read an overview on the differences.

Take time to take it all in. It is marvelous.

The highly touted and photographed Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple is located west of the Sha Tin KCR station. Combine this visit with a walking tour of Sha Tin, mentioned in another journal entry for a complete day enjoying some of Hong Kong’s history and culture.

Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple is so much more than what the name implies. I really don’t know where to begin. So, I’ll start with the path that leads there. At the end of asphalt path are hundreds of steep steps winding among the trees to the first level. Life-size statues akin to Buddha line the stairs on both sides one right after another. Not that I was getting winded—of course not—but I stopped along the way to admire the details. Completely gold, the sunlight that made in through the trees created quite a reflection. Some had facial hair, some had hoods and all had bright red lips. Each was holding something from a musical instrument to a scroll. At the top I discovered the statues were number and there were over 500.

The lower floor contains pavilions, statues, arhats, temples, a pagoda, and a vegetarian restaurant. The pagoda is 9 stories, with walls of red and eaves of golden yellow. The base in lined with golden arhats and small Buddhas in different positions line the eaves. A spiral staircase inside the pagoda houses several more Buddhas. Manjusri and Samantabhadra, Buddha’s most important assistants, are displayed larger-than-life in pavilions on either side of the tower. Manjusri, known for wisdom and bravery, aptly sits on a blue lion while Samantabhadra has reasoning abilities, performs noble deed and rides on a white elephant. Both are one of the ten disciples to the founder of Buddhism placing them on a high rung of the ladder.

Inside the courtyard are the 18 Arhats that were originally the perfect fulfilment of life but have given way to the higher attainment of Buddha. Although there are a few hundred Arhats, these 18 are known for special qualities and people often give offerings to them. Arhats have reached enlightenment through discipline and practice as has Budhha, but they have chosen to postpone nirvana and instead help others reach their level—a very unselfish act. In spite of this, I have always viewed the Arhats as whimsical or fairy like creatures because of the statues I have seen. Sometimes it is difficult to take a character seriously who is portrayed surfing on the head of lobster, having legs twice the length of his torso, an arm so long a right-fielder would be jealous, or having a Cheshire cat grin. I guess deities can have a sense of humor and childlike qualities just as mankind.

Take a train out of the main station in Kowloon for about 30 minutes outside of Hong Hong and you will arrive at Sha Tin. A short walk from the train station (head to the left out of the main exit) the following small signs and will arrive at a small dirt path down the side of the large commercial building. At first I was convinced this was the wrong way, but a small yellow plastic sign proved me wrong.

Following the sign you arrive at over 500 twisting steps that snake up the side of the mountain out of Sha Tin flanked by hundreds of gold colored statues leading to the temple and monastery of 10,000 Buddhas. You emerge from this hike to find a sight that is nothing short of breathtaking.

The grounds are made up of pagoda, a pavilion with statues of Vitasoka and Kwun Yam, a vegetarian restaurant and the main temple building.

The main temple building is astounding as it houses the embalmed body of the monk that founded the temple and over 13,000 unique gold Buddha statues. The statues cover all four walls of the main temple building from the floor to up the wall well over 30 feet. You can take photography on the grounds but be courteous and thoughtful of the people who are there praying. Some Chinese people will get very mad as they feel that the camera could effect the spirits of their departed family members.

Take the time to wander around the grounds and learn about all the statues and customs. Many locals are very happy to explain the the different statues and traditions.

I would pass on the vegetarian restaurant as it is simple and fairly bland food but it is great for a cold drink if you are there in warm weather.

Of our entire 2 weeks in Hong Hong this was my favorite excursion. We did not see another western face the entire time we were there. We had some wonderful conversations with some of the kindest local people and learned a lot.

The temple is walking distance from Shatin rail station, and once you find the small village of Paitau (incongruously placed in the shadow of the railway), just follow the signs. Within 200 yards, we were walking a gradual incline and then up a steeper staircase to the temple. The route is flanked with large golden Buddhas of varying ages and in different postures signifying everyday chores. Bizarrely, they seem almost caricatures offering smiling and overly happy faces in a simple but perhaps satirical form.

As we reach the entrance, a magnificent pagoda has pride of place in the square, which is surrounded by more 6-foot Buddhas – some sporting black eyelids, and others, bright-red lips. They really are fun to look, and their distorted features confirm a real quirkiness in the creator of the figures. The view from the terrace is far-reaching; it’s just a shame for us that a heavy mist and light drizzle has descended. Still, we can get a reasonable sense of the view with the Sha Tin Race course at the bottom surrounded by the urban sprawl that is Hong Kong.

I can’t resist a quick ring on the bells before we make to climb the pagoda. It’s a climb that seems to go on and on, and in all honesty the view from the top is not brilliant. But there are more Buddhas on each window ledge and a view across the complex showing another lane of Buddhas – we’ll make that climb after lunch. A cheap lunch can be obtained from the small makeshift restaurant on site – it has basic fare, but there’s plenty of it and the quality was better than average.

Next to the café is a temple with thousands of Buddhas arranged in individual niches. Traditional music was being played in this amazing building. At the time we were there, the temple was being decorated and painters were balanced on bamboo scaffolding and Buddhas were being removed from their spots, lowered into wicker baskets in order that the wall could be re-painted.

Take a left out of this temple and then the left fork to climb to the next part of the monastery. Again, the route is lined with large Buddhas, and as we saw the summit, the statues changed. Now they were garishly painted and all female in form. Much more regal in appearance and no comedic value here! At the summit, there were a couple more very small temples, much in need of some TLC, and a much more commanding view of the surrounding area.

We took the route straight down from here, bypassing the main temple site. This was a gradual gradient, but somewhat treacherous in the rain. The Buddhas oversaw our stroll through a woodland area, and we enjoyed spotting the old monastery buildings and some more secluded houses in the distant hills.

Despite its closeness to a large population, this was a very tranquil and idyllic spot.

I loved the hustle and bustle and constant energy of Hong Kong but wanted to explore further afield so I boarded a train and headed north to Sha Tin. The train was old and rather grungy but my first class carriage was comfortable and almost empty. I was the only westerner and the only woman in the car and at each stop, the conductor would come in, smile and nod. He spoke no English and I no Chinese, but smiles are understood in all languages.

When I got off the train, there were a number of signs for the monastery and it took about 15 minutes to reach by foot. It's perched on a hillside and looks out over Sha Tin. It's a very pretty and peaceful site BUT there are lots of stairs to climb to reach the top. One travel guide said there were over 400 and I would agree, although I didn't have the breath left to count them.

Although it is called The Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery, there are now over 13,000 of the clay statues of Buddha because people keep adding to them. Although similar in size and shape, a closer look reveals differences in poses. They are reverently stacked on shelves filling the walls of the temple.

In front of the Temple are large colorful statues of some of Buddha's followers as well as a 9 story pagoda filled with more statues.

There weren't a lot of other visitors about and it almost felt like I had the place to myself. The Temple has a number of terraces and from them you can see across the valley to the Amah Rock, a famous landmark. Legend says this rock was once a woman who climbed the hill to watch and wait for her husband's return. He never returned and the gods eventually took pity on her and turned her to stone as a reward for her patience.

Behind the main Temple, a smaller one houses the body of Yeut Kai, the monk who founded the monastery. The whole area feels very peaceful and serene and is a perfect place to relax and unwind.

The monastery is part of an organized day trip that you can book through your hotel or a travel agency but I enjoyed doing it on my own since I had more time to wander around.

Trains run regularly to Sha Tin from the Kowloon station and my first class, return ticket was under $10.00. A word of caution - the restrooms at stations outside can be very basic - just a hole in the floor - so be prepared.

Sha Tin is quite a large city with many hotels. As well as the monastery, it is also well known for its horse racing track, one of the largest in the country.