In this warm weather, although the transport system is considered to be one of the best, traveling around Singapore can still be a bit of a challenge. Especially during noon time, people are cramming to get into the MRTs and the buses to avoid the heat of the sun. The high humidity of the outdoors can be an inconvenience, it makes me extra sweaty and I easily get tired.
At noon I took the MRT going to Bright Hill station. I have never been to this place and so I’m eager to see what will I find in this area. I didn’t use Google to check what to find or where to eat because I wanted to explore it on foot and then use my "wayfinding" skills to find anything interesting about this place. I think that it makes my insights about the journey a little bit more personal.
I reached the Bright Hill station in the most convenient way possible, traveling through the MRT is a breeze. Without any expectations on what to find, I realized that I made a mistake not checking any online searches before going here. As I stepped out of the station, the sky was gloomy, it was almost going to rain, and the surroundings felt dull. It’s all tall apartment buildings, right outside the station? A station without a shopping mall or small shops is not a good sign 😢. The vibe concerned me to the point that I wanted to step back to the station and ride another MRT to find a new place to check out.
With the remaining drop of determination, I looked for the locality map to see if there were any good spots in this place. I realized that this new Bright Hill station is near the Bishan-Ang Moh Kio Park, which I’m familiar with.
There is a specific locality map that is posted at every entrance and exit of every MRT station. Note that it only covers about a 1 km radius from the station.
From there, I decided to set foot and navigate through the apartment buildings to find my way to the park. After a 15-minute walk around the corridors of the buildings, I saw an interesting silhouette from a distance. From that moment, I thought I found a temple, and it was not just an ordinary one.
I stumble upon the biggest monastery in Singapore, the Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery.
I was filled with excitement and walked even faster to get close to it. As I was walking towards it, I realized that it was much bigger than I thought. It’s not just a huge temple, it’s a cluster of temples and shrines that are strategically located among each other.
With the newfound energy, I walk into the gate and get even closer to the biggest temple nearest me to start my wanderings inside the monastery.
I'm entering through Gate 1 and the first building that's in front of me is the Ven. Hong Choon Memorial Hall.
In terms of scale, it is the biggest when compared to the other temples or shrines.
Although, if I compare the complexity of the design and ornaments, I believe this is the simplest among the other temples and shrines.
The next temple that I checked is the Hall of Great Strength. It is located in between the Bell Tower and the Drum Tower.
View of the front.
View of the back.
I was transfixed for a moment because I was checking every detail of the ornaments that were engraved or carved on the columns of the temple. The first thing that came to mind was the Jade Palace from the movie Kung Fu Panda. Also, I remembered the Karate Kid movie, with the "Journey to the Dragon Well" scene in particular. I was so amazed by the architecture of this temple.
View of the corner.
A closer look at the pillars.
Here's the view of the Bell Tower. The statues at each corner of the roofs on every level amazed me. There's so much detail in the ornaments of each piece.
From here, I decided to move deeper within the monastery. I walked through the long corridor and found my way to the side of Abbot's Hall and was amazed by the view looking at the Pagoda of 10,000 Buddhas.
Before I went to the pagoda, I walked to the left of the corridor to visit the Hall of Amrita Precepts.
On the side of the Hall of Amrita Precepts, there is a huge Bodhi Tree that is considered to be sacred.
From there, I walked a few steps toward the Statue of Guanyin.
The only plant beside the shallow pool.
At last, I reached the Pagoda of 10,000 Buddhas.
It was the most sacred part of the monastery so I didn't want to get too close and disturb the peace and activities that were happening at the waiting hall. From here, I decided to pass by the Relic Stupa of Ven. Hong Choon.
At this point, I have reached the end of the journey. I may not be able to understand the belief and the foundation of Buddhism however, for a brief moment I have felt the energy that surrounds this place. I felt like I was transported back in time with what I saw of the temples and shrines that were built into this place.
I think that in the quick pace of modern times, there is still a place where we can find solace and serenity that is within our reach.
The Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery is on the western side of the Bright Hill MRT station and can be easily accessed through Exit #2 and continue by foot along Sin Ming Avenue until you reach the right turn towards Bright Hill road.
