Buddha Tooth Relic Temple

The Buddha Tooth Relic Temple was completed in 2007 in a Tang dynasty architectural idiom, five storeys of red and gold with a hall of a hundred Buddhas on the ground floor and, on the fourth, a chamber holding what is venerated as a tooth relic of the Buddha inside a stupa said to contain over three hundred kilograms of gold donated by devotees. A museum of Buddhist art occupies part of the building and a roof garden with a large prayer wheel sits on top.

History

The abbot Shi Fa Zhao was asked to build a temple in a traditional design that would serve both locals and visitors, and nine proposals were drawn up before the design was settled; he turned down one as too contemporary and another in the Southern Chinese style of Chinatown's older temples (Wikipedia, Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum).

Highlights

• The relic chamber - the gold stupa on the fourth floor holding the venerated tooth.
• The hall of a hundred Buddhas - the main ground-floor prayer hall.
• The Buddhist art museum - collections on the third floor.
• The roof garden - a terrace with a large prayer wheel in a pavilion.

When to go

Year round; the temple opens early and closes in the evening, with the relic chamber on shorter hours. Vesak Day brings large crowds. Mornings are quietest.

Things to know

The authenticity of the relic is not established and is a matter of faith. Dress rules are strict and enforced, with shoulders and knees covered. Photography is prohibited in the relic chamber.

Nearby

Sri Mariamman is a short walk, and Chinatown Complex is nearby.

Key facts