Lian Shan Shuang Lin Monastery

Shuang Lin was founded in 1898 by the merchant Low Kim Pong, who by the story had a vision and waited a year at the shore until a monk arrived from China, and built the monastery on his land. Craftsmen came from Fujian and the buildings follow a classical Chinese monastery plan of halls in sequence. It was gazetted a national monument in 1980 and restored over a decade. A seven-storey pagoda modelled on one at Shanxi was added in 1991.

What you actually see

• The hall sequence - a classical Chinese monastery plan of successive halls.
• The Fujian craftsmanship - carving and roof work by craftsmen brought from China.
• The pagoda - a seven-storey tower added in 1991 on a Shanxi model.
• The national monument status - the oldest Buddhist monastery on the island.

When to go

Year round; the monastery keeps daily hours. Mornings are quietest. Vesak Day brings crowds.

Honest expectations

The complex is smaller than Kong Meng San and takes an hour. Restoration has replaced a good deal of the original fabric. It sits among housing blocks with no setting to speak of.

Nearby

Toa Payoh Dragon Playground is nearby, and Bishan is north.