Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery

This secluded temple of 10,000 Buddha's is situated high on the hillside above the Sha Tin Railway Station. Visitors can reach the temple via the 431 steps leading up to the temple's main altar. The reward is not merely 10,000, but 12,800 statues of Buddha, and the 12,800 Buddha statues along its walls, guarded by huge, fierce-looking statues of various gods, and by similarly fierce watchdogs that are chained up in the daytime. Another nine-story pagoda of Indian architectural design, commemorating a Buddha who was believed to be the ninth reincarnation of Prince Vishnu, is housed in the main complex.

Going further up 69 steps will bring you to the Temple of Man Fat, where you can see the preserved remains of the man who had created this temple and pagoda complex. Yuet Kai was a monk who spent his entire lifetime studying Buddhism and living a meditative life. His foremost concern was to achieve immortality. Upon his death, he was buried but according to Chinese custom, his body was later exhumed to be reburied in its final resting place. When dug up, the body was found to be completely preserved and radiating a ghostly yellow glow. Since there was something paranormal about Yuet Kai, it was decided to preserve his body in a gold leaf for posterity.