Li Ka-shing funded monastery with bullet-proof dorm, writ shows
Facing Tolo Harbour, the two-storey block at Tsz Shan Monastery sits on premises of 22,789 sq ft and is separated by an electric fence from the rest of the house.
A Tai Po monastery that was built with sponsorship from Asia's richest man Li Ka-shing featured a dormitory block with bullet-proof windows and doors and three rooms strong enough to withstand an explosion, court documents disclosed yesterday.
Two other dormitory blocks, meant for monks and nuns, are not secured against bullets but are built in the likeness of the other one, as Cheung Kong Property Development wants the fortified building to look "as inconspicuous as possible". The roofs of the temples are laid with ceramic tiles, which the developer specified must be sourced from Japan, "not the PRC".
The design and facilities of the monastery, which also holds the world's tallest bronze statue of the Goddess of Mercy, were revealed through court filings submitted by a construction firm caught up in a bitter dispute with the monastery developer.
Chun Wo Building Construction, part of the listed Chun Wo Development Holdings, is seeking almost HK$335 million in outstanding bills from monastery developer Metta Resources.
Li and his charity fund reportedly donated more than HK$1 billion to the construction.