Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery

Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery is a Buddhist monastery at 88 Bright Hill Road in the Bishan planning area, founded in 1921 by Venerable Sik Zhuan Dao as a place for Buddhist practice. It grew after Venerable Seck Hong Choon became its second abbot in 1947, and the National Heritage Board describes the site of about 12 hectares, popularly called Bright Hill Temple, as the largest religious complex in Singapore. Milestones include the completion of the Hall of Great Compassion in 1980, the foundation-laying of the Pagoda of 10,000 Buddhas in 1985, and the founding of the Buddhist College of Singapore in 2005.

The complex holds prayer halls, monks' quarters, a retirement home, a library, a crematorium and a columbarium. The shrine halls, among them the Hall of Great Compassion, the Hall of Medicine Buddha and the Hall of No Form, open from 8am to 4pm, and the monastery welcomes visitors every day, public holidays included. Dress modestly and keep voices low in the shrine halls. On the eve of Vesak Day, devotees come here for the Three Steps, One Bow ritual of repentance. Bright Hill MRT station on the Thomson-East Coast Line is about a six-minute walk away along Sin Ming Avenue from Exit 2.