Lian Shan Shuang Lin Monastery is the oldest Buddhist monastery in Singapore. According to a report by TODAY on Nov. 6, the monastery has just completed its latest round of restoration works, which have lasted 25 years.

The 118-year-old Shuang Lin monastery was officially founded in 1898 by a devout Buddhist named Low Kim Pong. Low was a wealthy Hokkien merchant and philanthropist, who was actively involved in the local community during Singapore’s early days. He was on the Chinese Advisory Board and was a founding member of the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce in 1906.

A community leader and a pioneer, Low is remembered in the present day through Kim Pong Road in Tiong Bahru, which was named after him, and Lian Shan Shuang Lin Monastery.

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The monastery’s story began with a dream that both Low and his son had one night in 1898. In their dream, they saw a divine figure emanating golden light, approaching from the west.

Seeing it as an omen, Low and his son went to the docks the next day. They stayed there till the evening, when they chanced upon a family of 12 Buddhist nun and monks, who had just arrived in Singapore for a pit-stop on their journey back to China. They had just spent six years on a pilgrimage to India.

Low invited the group to his home, where he persuaded them to stay in Singapore, by promising them land and funds to construct a monastery, which would be headed by the group’s leader, Venerable Xian Hui.

On May 7, 1900, Low gave 12-acres of land in Toa Payoh for the monastery. He was also the project’s main benefactor and fund-raiser.

Construction of the monastery, which is modelled after a temple called Xi Chan Si in Fuzhou, China, began in phases from 1902 and was fully completed in 1910. The monastery was built by craftsmen from various parts of Fujian, which resulted in the building embodying architectural styles from Fuzhou, Quanzhou and Zhangzhou.

Restoration works were carried out on Lian Shan Shuang Lin Monastery between 1918 and 1919, and between 1950 and 1954.

Gazetted as a national monument in 1980, the latest restoration works on the monastery began in 1991. Fund-raising efforts for the project included a charity concert that featured Hong Kong stars, such as Andy Lau, Jacky Cheung, Eric Tsang, and the late Anita Mui.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="645"] Photo from here[/caption]

Since its construction, Lian Shan Shuang Lin Monastery has been a prominent feature in the Toa Payoh area. The area around the monastery has gone from villages and farms to the urban setting that it is today.

Top photo from here

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