Tian Tan Buddha, Hong Kong Postcard

Tian Tan Buddha (天壇大佛) is an enormous 34 metre statue, one of the five giant Buddha statues in China, situated in Ngong Ping, Lantau Island. The statue comprises of 202 bronze pieces and with a total weight in excess of 250 tonnes it is the world's tallest outdoor seated bronze Buddha. The construction of the giant statue took nearly ten years to complete and was unveiled in 1993, with an estimated total cost of $68 million. The Buddha is named after Tian Tan which is the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, but is also known as Po Lin Buddha because it is an integral part of the Po Lin Monastery. The monastery initially known as the Big Hut was founded in 1906 by Zen masters Da Yue, Dun Xiu and Yue Ming of the Jin Shan Monastery of Zhe Jiang Province. It is the major centre of Buddhism in Hong Kong and major tourist attraction, especially with the induction of the Buddha statue adjacent to the monastery. Tian Tan Buddha, positioned on a lotus throne surrounded by eight smaller bronze statues resembling gods, oversees the monastery which is build on a plateau rising 2,330 feet above sea level. Buddha's expression appears majestic and tranquil, symbolising the congruent relationship between people, nature, and religion. Tian Tan Buddha is the only statue of its kind that gazes towards the North; all other Giant Buddha statues gaze towards the South. Due to its immense weight the statue is internally supported by a steel metal framework and the Buddha is positioned on a three-platform altar. The elevated position of the entire platform comprises of 268 steps. (hkatlas.com)