Ngong Ping
Encyclopedia
Ngong Ping is a highland in the western part of Lantau Island
Lantau Island
Lantau Island , based on the old local name of Lantau Peak , is the largest island in Hong Kong, located at the mouth of the Pearl River. Administratively, most of Lantau Island is part of the Islands District of Hong Kong...
, Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
. It hosts Po Lin Monastery
Po Lin Monastery
Po Lin Monastery is a Buddhist monastery, located on Ngong Ping Plateau, on Lantau Island, Hong Kong.The monastery was founded in 1906 by three monks visiting from Jiangsu and was initially known simply as "The Big Hut" . It was renamed to its present name in 1924...
and Tian Tan Buddha
Tian Tan Buddha
Tian Tan Buddha, also known as the Big Buddha, is a large bronze statue of a Buddha, completed in 1993, and located at Ngong Ping, Lantau Island, in Hong Kong. The statue is located near Po Lin Monastery and symbolises the harmonious relationship between man and nature, people and religion...
amidst the hills which is about 34 m tall. There are many hills nearby which are also an attraction to tourists. It is now the terminus of the cable car ride Ngong Ping Cable Car which travels to Tung Chung
Tung Chung
Tung Chung, meaning 'eastern stream', is an area situated on the north-western coast of Lantau Island in Hong Kong. Tung Chung, currently one of the latest generation of new towns, was formerly a rural village around Tung Chung Wan, and along the delta and lower courses of Tung Chung River and Ma...
. New facilities and tourist attractions have opened including the Ngong Ping Village, Walking with the Buddha, A tale of monkey's theatre and Ngong Ping tea house. A youth hostel is located near the monastery. The second highest peak, Lantau Peak
Lantau Peak
Lantau Peak or Fung Wong Shan is the second highest peak in Hong Kong. It is situated on Lantau Island, with a height of 934 m above sea level...
, in Hong Kong is at its southeast.
Tourism project
In 2002, the Hong Kong government announced that the MTRC had secured the rights to run a cable car which formed part of a HK$750 million tourism project scheduled for completion in August 2005. Under the plan, a theme village would be built at Ngong Ping along a 'tourist corridor', with 6,000 square metres of shop space and an 18,600-square-metre piazza between the cable car terminal and the Po Lin Monastery. A 5.5km cable car line, jointly managed by the Mass Transit Railway Corporation and Skyrail-ITM of Australia, would link it to Tung Chung Station, Hong Kong International AirportHong Kong International Airport
Hong Kong International Airport is the main airport in Hong Kong. It is colloquially known as Chek Lap Kok Airport , being built on the island of Chek Lap Kok by land reclamation, and also to distinguish it from its predecessor, the closed Kai Tak Airport.The airport opened for commercial...
. Government-funded infrastructure works were estimated to cost $70 million.
The MTRC were granted the rights to develop and run businesses within the tourist corridor, which religious groups feared could destroy the area's religious environment, and threaten the closure of the Po Lin Monastery by draining their revenues. Environmental groups also expressed concerns about the project: the Conservancy Association feared the project would endanger woodland and brooks nearby, by threatening butterfly-habitat. The government, however, said it had considered the views of religious and green groups, and reassured that the design would "preserve the tranquil atmosphere." The Travel Industry Council welcomed the "long overdue" project; the MTRC said the project would create 300 jobs.
Opening
Facilities and tourist attractions opened in 2005 include the Ngong Ping Village, Walking with the Buddha, A tale of monkey's theatre and Ngong Ping tea house. A youth hostel is located near the monastery. The second highest peak, Lantau PeakLantau Peak
Lantau Peak or Fung Wong Shan is the second highest peak in Hong Kong. It is situated on Lantau Island, with a height of 934 m above sea level...
, is located to its south-east.