Ting Wai Monastery, Buddhist temple in Tai Po District, Hong Kong.
Ting Wai Monastery is a temple situated on elevated terrain with traditional Chinese features including red columns, curved roofs, and stone staircases leading to prayer halls. The architecture combines symmetrical layouts with ornate details that reference classical monastic designs.
Founded in 1923 by Master Zengxiu as Lanruo Garden, it is the earliest Buddhist temple in Tai Po District. The Grand Hall of Great Hero was added in 1934, housing statues of Shakyamuni, Bhaisajyaguru and Amitabha. Registered as a non-profit in 1963, it was renamed Dinghui Temple and became a public monastery for the fourfold assembly. A 1993 renovation, funded partly by HK$1.5 million from Master Renhui's family, marked its 70th anniversary.
The name Dinghui, adopted in 1963 when Lanruo Garden became a registered non-profit, refers to concentration and wisdom. The temple was long run as a shifang conglin, a monastery open to monks, nuns and lay followers alike. Since the 2015 scandal over its abbess and misused donations, the buildings have stood empty.
The temple stands in Ma Wo Village on Ma Wo Mountain, reached by footpaths above Tai Po; the site has been vacant since the 2015 scandal over abbess Shi Zhiding, so there are no opening hours or resident monks to expect. Check access conditions before setting out and wear shoes suited to the hill paths.
The temple has stood empty since a 2015 scandal in which abbess Shi Zhiding was reported to have married two mainland monks to help them obtain Hong Kong permanent residency and to have diverted donations. A takeover committee was formed that October, with lawmaker Leung Yiu-chung as convenor and the nun Yanyang as interim abbot.
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