Oasis ruined by urn trade, Buddhists say

Monks and nuns living in a cluster of Buddhist monasteries in an idyllic part of Lantau have combined in a rare public protest against a commercial columbarium operator they say is intruding into and destroying the 'spiritual oasis' of Hong Kong.

About 30 of them left their haven at Luk Wu yesterday for a press conference to air their grievances over the urn storage development at the Yin Hing Monastery.

Led by the Venerable Wing Sing, vice-president of the Hong Kong Buddhist Association, they called on the government to enforce the law, noting that the Lands Department had already said such use was a breach of the land lease.

'It is unacceptable that [the business] is changing the age-old monasteries and the sacred place because of economic reasons. I hope everyone can say some fair words for us,' said the Venerable Wing Sing, who is in his 80s and was in a wheelchair.

Luk Wu, a basin in the middle of Lantau with 30 abbeys - the oldest set up 130 years ago - has been the temporary home of respected monks from the mainland and other countries. Four buildings have been given grade two or three historic status.

The monasteries are open to members of the public seeking a spiritual retreat. But the monks and nuns say the atmosphere has been destroyed since a company called Hong Kong Yin Hing Monastery bought the site in 2007 and started selling urns, bringing visitors in buses every day.

The group said they had no idea why their neighbour sold the monastery site, although they heard that the former landlord could not afford to maintain the slopes.