Singapore Chinatown

#singaporetrip Singapore Chinatown Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum Located in the historic district of Chinatown, the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple & Museum’s richly designed interiors and comprehensive exhibits on Buddhist art and history tell stories of culture over thousands of years old. Built in 2007, the temple gets its name from what the Buddhists regard as the left canine tooth of Buddha, which has been recovered from his funeral pyre in Kushinagar, India and displayed on the temple’s grounds. This Tang-styled Chinese Buddhist temple was conceptualised and designed by the temple’s Chief Abbot Venerable Shi Fa Zhao, with the help of local and overseas consultants. It costs S$75 million to set up, and is based on various elements of Tang Dynasty architecture. The building’s design was inspired by the Buddhist Mandala, a symbol of Buddhist culture that represents the universe. The Buddhist Culture Museum on the third floor holds an array of revered artefacts of the Buddha, such as bone and tongue relics, and the Sacred Light Hall on the fourth floor contains the temple’s centrepiece. The Buddha Tooth Relic is housed in a giant stupa weighing a whopping 3,500 kilograms and made from 320 kilograms of gold, of which 234 kilograms were donated by devotees. Only monks are allowed into the relic chamber, but visitors will be able to see the tooth relic from the public viewing area. Other highlights include the Eminent Sangha Museum, a theatre that holds cultural performances, talks and film screenings. If you’re looking for a little quiet contemplation amid Chinatown’s hubbub, the roof garden, with its pagoda and Buddha prayer wheel, offers a tranquil hideaway. Shakyamuni Buddha was believed to have gained insight into the true nature of being, and perfected the qualities of wisdom and compassion over 2,500 years ago. Today, the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple carries on the legacy of his teachings through the ‘Discovering Buddhism’ workshop. Travellers can gain more insight into Buddhism at this interactive workshop led by the temple’s resident venerables.