Tsz Shan Monastery: A Sense of Calmness in a bustling Hong Kong city

HONG KONG — A trip to a spiritual haven was just the ideal antidote to the sweltering heat that swept Hong Kong in late June.

The Tsz Shan Monastery, a hidden gem on the edge of Tai Po in the New Territories, is a welcome respite from the frenetic pace of this economic enclave.

The monastery, built by Hong Kong’s richest man, Li Ka-shing through his Li Ka-shing Foundation, is envisioned as an institute of Buddhist practice and learning, and to provide a place for quiet contemplation and purification, and to foster a culture of sharing and giving.

Planning and construction of the monastery began in 2003, and has been open to the public since April 2015. A refreshing slice of zen away from the bustling metropolis, it is a Chinese Buddhist monastery established for the preservation of the inheritance of the Dharma preached by Shakyamuni Buddha.

The Foundation has contributed more than HK$3.4 billion (over P2.2 trillion) to acquire the land, the construction costs and the monastery’s operating expenses.

A self-made billionaire, Mr. Li believes that every being has a “bright pearl, long obscured by dust and toil, and when the dust is gone and its light shines forth, a myriad of illuminations blossom across our mountains and rivers.”

Nicknamed "Superman," Li, now 96, is revered as one of the most influential businessmen in Asia. Forbes magazine ranks him as the 38th richest man in the world. A high-school dropout, Li started Cheung Kong plastic in 1950 at age 21 with $6,500 in savings and loans from relatives.

He retired as chairman of CK Hutchison Holdings and CK Asset Holdings in May 2018 but remains a senior advisor. In 2000, he was made Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE), a Commandeur de l'Ordre de Léopold (Belgium), and received the International Distinguished Entrepreneur Award (University of Manitoba).

In 2006, he was given the Malcolm S. Forbes Lifetime Achievement Award (Forbes).

Using a map, visitors to the monastery are given the option to collect stamps by following the footsteps of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva by practicing the Ten Great Vows in each pilgrimage spot in the monastery.

Needless to say, I just studied the map and the