Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery

Background

Founded in 1920 by Venerable Zhuan Dao, Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery is Singapore’s largest Mahayana Buddhist temple and situated on 88, Bright Hill Road.

History
Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery is the largest Mahayana Buddhist temple in Singapore. Located on 88, Bright Hill Road, it was founded in 1920 by Venerable Zhuan Dao as the Phor Kark See Temple. A Chinese businessman, Tay Woo Seng, donated the land in Thomson Road in 1921. Due to its location on Kong Meng San, or Bright Hill, it became known as Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery. The temple spreads the teachings of Buddha and provided accommodation for monks from overseas.

The temple originally comprised a two-storey building, a shrine room, visitors’ room and living quarters. Philanthropists like Mr. Aw Boon Haw and Mr. Aw Boon Par later contributed to the building of a separate Dharma Hall, which had a height of over fifty feet.

In 1943, Venerable Zhuan Dao passed away at 72 years old and Venerable Seck Hong Choon became the Chief Abbot. He was responsible for the temple’s administration and served as its representative at social and Buddhist functions. Under his leadership, the monastery’s complex expanded from two shrine halls to include the Pagoda of 10,000 Buddhas and prayer halls that are as large as ten football fields.

With a $5.3 million donation from Venerable Seck Hong Choon’s followers in 1980, the monastery started work on Evergreen Bright Hill Home, which opened in 1983. Venerable Seck Hong Choon passed away on 25 December 1990, and Venerable Yen Pei was appointed the Chief Abbot in 1991. Venerable Long Gen succeeded him in 1994, followed by Venerable Sui Kim. The present abbot of the monastery is Venerable Kwang Sheng, who has held the post since 5 June 2004.

On 27 March 1994, the temple held an opening ceremony for its Pagoda of 10,000 Buddhas. A blend of Southeast Asian and modern architectural design, the pagoda is five-storeys high and has a bell-shaped stupa (or terraced formation) that is covered with gold-coloured mosaic tiles on its exterior. The interior of the stupa is lined with 10,917 Buddha statuettes, each about the size of a slice of bread. The pagoda’s three-storey high main hall houses an eight-metre high golden Buddha statue seated in a lotus position. It is one of Southeast Asia’s largest bronze images of the Medicine Buddha.

The late Venerable Seck Hong Choon, originally mooted the idea of constructing the pagoda in 1985. Piling works began in November 1986, but halted shortly after. Efforts to build the pagoda started again in 1991 on the orders of the temple’s third abbot, Venerable Yen Pei. It was completed in December 1993 at an estimated cost of over $9 million.

On 15 January 2002, the temple announced a Compassion Fund to provide financial assistance to retrenched workers with a last drawn pay of up to $2,500, and who do not qualify for other aid schemes.

Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery opened the Buddhist College of Singapore on 13 September 2006. As the country’s first Buddhist college, it offers a four-year bachelor’s degree in Buddhism. Lessons are held on temple grounds until a new $35 million five-storey building is completed.

In October 2007, the temple was one of seven religious groups ordered by the Commissioner of Charities (COC) to open their books to auditors. With an annual income of $14.95 million, it had one of the largest incomes among the charities under the COC’s direct purview. Its main income sources were crematorium and columbarium services, prayer services and donations. The temple was found to have proper systems and procedures in place, which complied with COC regulations. 

On June 21, 2008, the temple raised over $1 million for the reconstruction of schools devastated in the May 12 Sichuan earthquake, by organising the Great Compassion; Great Aspiration Charity Show.

In April 2009, the temple launched ‘Gum’, an English-language magazine, to bridge the gap between their older Hokkien-speaking devotees and English-speaking youth. The magazine title is a transliteration of a Hokkien term which means “to get along”, and symbolises unity within the congregation. The temple partnered Chuan Pictures, a new production house set up in March 2009 by local filmmaker Royston Tan, for a 15-minute Mandarin short film, “Little Note”. It premiered in September 2009 and focuses on a single mother who gives her son inspirational notes.

Description
Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery comprises prayer halls, crematoriums and columbariums, a library, an outdoor statue of Buddhist deity Guanyin Bodhisattva, bell and drum towers, and the four-storey Venerable Hong Choon Memorial Hall with an exterior that resembles a ship. The hall’s top level contains one of Asia’s largest bronze Buddha images, measuring 13.8 metres in height and weighing 55 tonnes.

It is also home to the Pagoda of 10,000 Buddhas and a Bodhi sampling from the tree in India under which Siddhartha attained Buddhahood.

On the eve of Vesak Day, the temple also practices the ‘3-Step 1-Bow’ ritual. Devotees walk in line around the temple’s perimeter, and bow once every three steps as they chant mantras or the name of Buddha in praise. This ritual is believed to purify the mind, humble the ego and decrease hurdles along one’s spiritual journey.

Timeline
1920 : Phor Kark See Monastery was founded by Venerable Zhuan Dao.
1943 : Venerable Zhuan Dao passes away at 72.
1947 : Venerable Seck Hong Choon becomes the new Chief Abbot.
1980 : Work begins on the Evergreen Bright Hill Home.
November 1986 : Piling works for the Pagoda of 10,000 Buddhas begin.
25 December 1990 : Venerable Seck Hong Choon passes away.
1991 : Venerable Yen Pei appointed as Chief Abbot.
December 1993 : Pagoda of 10,000 Buddhas is completed.
27 March 1994 : Opening ceremony for the Pagoda of 10,000 Buddhas is held.
15 January 2002 : Compassion Fund with higher income ceiling is announced.
5 June 2004: Venerable Kwang Sheng takes on the role of Chief Abbot.
13 September 2006 : Buddhist College of Singapore is opened.
October 2007 : Temple is one of seven religious groups ordered  by the Commissioner of Charities to open their books to auditors.
21 June 2008 : Temple raised over $1 million for the victims of the May 12 Sichuan earthquake.
April 2009 : ‘Gum’, an English-language magazine, is launched.
September 2009 : “Little Note”, a Mandarin short film, premieres, the result of a collaboration between the temple and Chuan Pictures, a new production house set up by filmmaker Royston Tan.



Author
Rachel Chan



References
5 things you didn't know about... (2008, June 20). The Straits Times. Retrieved November 20, 2009, from Factiva database.

10,000 Buddhists turn up for installation of new Chief Abbot. (1991, May 10). The Straits Times. Retrieved January 21, 2011, from NewspaperSG.

Buddhist lecturer is new Chief Abbot. (1991, February 11). The Straits Times. Retrieved January 21, 2011, from NewspaperSG.

Faith groups use English to draw devotees. (2009, October 5). The Straits Times. Retrieved November 20, 2009, from Factiva database.

Largest Buddhist monastery here grows. (2006, March 4). The Straits Times. Retrieved January 21, 2011, from NewspaperSG.

Lee, G.B. (2002). The religious monuments of Singapore: Faiths of our forefathers. Singapore: Preservation of Monuments Board: Landmark Books.
(Call no.: RSING 726.095957 LEE)

Lip, E. (1983). Chinese temple architecture in Singapore. Singapore: Singapore University Press.
(Call no.: RSING 726.1951095957 LIP)

Monastery raising funds for Sichuan. (2008, June 10). Today. Retrieved January 21, 2011, from NewspaperSG.

New aid fund with higher income ceiling. (2002, January 16). The Straits Times. Retrieved January 21, 2011, from NewspaperSG.

no REGRETS. (2009, September 18). The New Paper. Retrieved November 20, 2009, from Factiva database.

Ong, Y.D. (2005). Buddhism in Singapore: A short narrative history. Singapore: Skylark Publications.
(Call no.: RSING 294.3095957 ONG)

Quick News. (2008, July 5). The Straits Times. Retrieved November 20, 2009, from Factiva database.

Quick News. (2008, September 14). The Straits Times. Retrieved November 20, 2009, from Factiva database.

Seven religious groups told to open books to auditors. (2007, October 24). The Straits Times. Retrieved November 20, 2009, from Factiva database.

Watchdog finds four areas for improvement (2008, September 11). The Straits Times. Retrieved November 20, 2009, from Factiva database.


The information in this article is valid as at 2010 and correct as far as we can ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. Please contact the library for further reading materials on the topic.