Foo Hai Ch'an Monastery

Foo Hai Ch'an Monastery, also known by its Chinese name 福海禪寺, is a prominent Buddhist monastery situated in Singapore. Established in 1935 by Venerable Hong Zong, a monk from Taiwan who was ordained in Japan, the monastery was founded with the aim of popularizing Buddhism in Singapore. The current abbot is Venerable Shi Ming Yi, and the monastery's present-day premises are located at Geylang East Avenue 2.

History and Development

Venerable Hong Zong's initiative led to the establishment of Foo Hai Ch'an Monastery, which has since played a significant role in the local Buddhist community. Following Venerable Hong Zong, Venerable Miao Shou succeeded him as abbot in 1975. A key development initiated by the monastery was the founding of the Ren Ci Hospital and Medicare Centre in Novena. This charitable institution later established an affiliate, the Ren Ci Day Care Centre for the Elderly, in September 1998. In 1999, Foo Hai Ch'an Monastery took on the management of 270 beds in wards formerly part of Tan Tock Seng Hospital, organizing significant fundraising events, including concerts by notable artists, to support these endeavors.

Architectural and Religious Features

The monastery is built in the Chan/Zen style, featuring a variety of structures, statues, a Bodhi tree, and Buddha relics of religious importance. The main entrance is guarded by two large metal statues of the Dharmapala protectors, Generals Heng and Ha. Within the monastery grounds, Bell and Drum Towers are positioned to mark the passage of time and impart spiritual lessons. The multi-story main monastery building houses a spacious 15-meter-high prayer hall, a 3.3-meter-tall statue of Buddha, and a striking 9.9-meter-tall statue of the Thousand-armed Guanyin, a manifestation of the bodhisattva Avalokitesvara.

A five-story pagoda, constructed in 2004 with significant donation from the Siddhartha Centre, stands in the central north direction. Each level of the pagoda displays decorated Buddha statues, with the top floor housing sacred Buddha relics. The monastery also cherishes a revered Bodhi tree, propagated from a cutting gifted from Sri Lanka's historic Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi lineage, which itself originates from a sapling from the Bodh Gaya Bodhi Tree in India, the site of Buddha's enlightenment. A guest house and teaching center, along with a library, are also part of the monastery's facilities, and a columbarium for cremated remains is located in the basement.

Incidents and Management

In 2007, the then abbot, Shi Ming Yi, faced investigation for alleged misappropriation of funds and providing false information. He was subsequently convicted in 2009 and imprisoned in 2010 after his appeal was unsuccessful. The Commissioner of Charities took action to suspend him from decision-making roles within Foo Hai Ch'an Monastery and associated organizations.