Lian Shan Shuang Lin Monastery

Lian Shan Shuang Lin Monastery is a beautiful, huge Buddhist temple which houses Buddhas in different halls. Also known as Siong Lim Temple, this authentic Chinese Buddhist temple has a deep history of more than 100 years. The serene monastery was founded in 1898, but the complete construction was only finished by 1907. This national monument has witnessed the various eras of history and change, surviving drastic climate changes, World War II and many restoration processes. It now stands proudly as a seven-story pagoda with a gold-topped roof, which is a replica of the 800-year-old Fujian temple, Shanfeng.

Lian Shan Shuang Lin is Chinese for 'Twin Grove of the Lotus Mountain Temple'. This is in reference to the twin sala tree groves that are in Bodh Gaya, India, under which Lord Buddha received enlightenment. This enchanting monastery is an interesting blend of multiple Chinese architectural styles, and one can see the immense influences and traces of authentic Chinese architecture. Since 1980, the monastery has been gazetted as a national monument, standing in as a symbol of the cultural and social roots of the Chinese immigrants.

The temple has a charming courtyard filled with Bonsai trees, connected to the monastery's three halls through a beautifully shaded pathway. This serene temple stands out as a place of worship amidst the concrete haze of the city. The shrine is a result of a mystical dream of Low Kim Pong, a prosperous merchant who donated the land where this divine monastery stands today. This place gives a lot of importance to monastic discipline standards laid down by the standards of the Cong Lin Monastery Layout.