In 1920, Venerable Zhuan Dao
realised that the time was right to build a place of practice to
propagate the Dharma and to provide lodging for monks, as there
were many monks who came to Singapore without lodging. In 1921,
the building of Phor Kark See Monastery started as the first
traditional Chinese forest monastery in Singapore.
Since Phor Kark See Monastery is situated
at Kong Meng San ("Bright Hill", formerly "Hai Nan
Mountain"), it came to be known as Kong Meng San Phor Kark
See Monastery. The Monastery grew steadily and Dharma propagation
began in Singapore. In 1943, Venerable Zhuan Dao passed away at
Putuo Monastery at the age of 72.
In 1947, Venerable
Hong Choon became the monastery's abbot. With great perseverance,
he progressively developed and expanded the monastery with his followers
into the largest and most majestic place of practice in Singapore.
Venerable Hong Choon also initiated the monthly Great Compassion
Prayer and taught the Dharma to benefit many.
Phor Kark See developed from a remote temple
into a monastery well known to all. For the past 20 years, more
than 6000 people from all walks of life, from Malaysia and Singapore,
had taken refuge in the Triple Gem here. It is also an ideal place
of practice for thousands of Buddhists. It's good name was soon
spreaded overseas by the Sangha who visited the place, and was well
respected to both Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike.
In 1980, the temple began to build Evergreen
Bright Hill Home with the donation of 5.3 million from Venerable
Hong Choon's followers, He Hui Zhong's family company. In the year
1994,The then President of Singapore, Mr. Ong Teng Chong visit the
home and praised its cleanliness, good service and well-equipped
facilities.
On 25th December 1990,
Venerable Hong Choon passed away, and Singapore
lost one of the most highly accomplished monks of our time. Venerable
Hong Choon had over 280,000 disciples worldwide. Some of the more
famous ones were Lin Shao Liang and He Hui Zhong, who were touched
and transformed by his teachings.
Venerable Yen Pei was next to take up abbotship
in 1991, followed by Venerable Long Gen in 1994. The fifth
Abbot of the Monastery is Venerable Sui Kim, the abbot
of Xing Yuan Temple and Hwa Zhang Temple in the Philippines.
On 5/6/2004, Venerable Kwang Sheng became the monastery's abbot.
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