-Feeling the spirit-

Around 530 years before Jesus, a young baby prince was born in North India. Siddhartha Gautama grew up to pave the way for legions to become aware of the impermanence of all created things, and to focus on awareness.

In the late 70s, a group of Chinese monks came upon the old temple site at Po Lin on Lantau island, Hong Kong. They recalled the splendours of the great temples they had seen in India and in China. It was a pity, they thought, that Hong Kong did not have such great monuments, for they were convinced that there were many devout followers of the Buddha in Hong Kong. So they started a campaign to build just such a monument - it would be a great statue of the Buddha, large and tall enough to be seen from miles around. It would look majestic and be humbling, as it gazed down on followers from its stand on top of the cloud covered mountain.

In 1989 the dream came true. Chris Patten even came to cut the ribbon to inaugurate the Tien Tan Buddha in 1993 - it took a while for the Hong Kong government to widen the roads leading up to the temple for the devout followers to see the statue.

Today, the bronze Buddha looks mysterious on days when there are swirls of misty clouds surrounding it. The height of the stand the Buddha is positioned on is such that the head of the Buddha is at the same level as the mountain tops surrounding the temple. On clear days it would appear to be a large scale rendition of the cheap souvenirs sold in the shop underneath it. Rabbles of people climb up the many stairs - it seems a universal feature of religious establishments to build a staircase to heaven - and take pictures in front of the lotus petals of the Buddha while making 'V' signs. People aim coins at the incense burners held up by the big bronze angels at the feet of the Buddha despite the signs saying 'Do not throw coin [sic]' and clap when they make it. Large red and white flags with black calligraphy tell you this clamourous scene is all in memory of the Buddha's life. Children are uninterested in the laughably small cremated fragment of the Buddha on display. The tranquility of the verdant mountains and fluffy clouds, quiet breeze and the pale blue coastline surrounding the monastery made me wonder why I was here amidst these people instead of in a more natural environment.

But I saw the tree in front of the incredibly brightly coloured main hall of worship. The tree had leaves that were beautifully delicate, scalloped edges ending in a twirling tendril at the end, its pale green veins carved gently into its heart. Looking at that leaf, I felt the tension surrounding me melt away - the broadcasted sermon booming away in the monk's prayer room under the main hall, the worshippers noisily pouring perfumed water over the golden statue of the Buddha in front of the stair case leading up to the main hall, the heady scent of the tall yellow and red incense sticks, the clatter of the free vegetarian restaurant behind me. All faded away, until it was just me, my leaf, and the clouds above.