Po Lin Monastery

　　From the gate of the temple, you can see a big bronze statue of Sakyamuni - Tian Tan Buddha, which is located on the top of the Muyushan Mountain. It is regarded as the largest outdoor Buddha statue in the world. Completed in 1993, the statue along with its adjoining pedestal is about 34 meters tall (111 feet), depicting a sitting Buddha in a mediating position.

　　The pedestal of the statue is a three-story exhibition hall with a big bell inside. The bell is delicately engraved with Buddhist figures and Buddhist scriptures. Controlled by a computer, the bell is rung once every seven minutes, 108 times a day - to "relieve" 108 vexations. People can walk up the 268 steps to the platform where there is a tiny museum containing many elegant relics that cannot be found in the main temple.

　　Serving as a place where the Buddhist faithful seek enlightenment through mediations, the quietness of this monastery is only broken by visitors, especially on weekends. However, Buddhist faithful and monks still manage to live in a secluded world, despite the chaos caused by the tourists.