Hall of Prosperity

The Hall of Prosperity is a memorial hall with no equal. From its heart, a towering monument of Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva (大愿地藏菩萨) commands the space with a continuous, gentle rotation that guides each ancestral tablet into his watchful gaze. Its larger-than-life presence is a result of not only its impressive stature and motion but also the symbolism it brings.

As a bodhisattva, or a being who delays his or her enlightenment to help others attain it first, Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva took a vow to liberate the souls in all realms of existence from even their deepest pain and suffering and light up their path to enlightenment. To this day, he remains an enduring icon of compassion and of the ethos that prosperity also arises from being pure.

To aid his mission, Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva is commonly seen in full regalia. This includes his khakkhara staff - an ancient symbol of spiritual authority and the power to dissolve obstacles, the cintamani - a wish-fulfilling jewel that provides salvation from harm and the five-Buddha crown - a supreme emblem of the connection between him and the cosmos.

Gilded to stand out from his monument, his regalia is unmissable. So too is his halo, which is recreated with more than a dozen pendant lamps that radiate from the central chandelier. They make up a formidable mandala of molten-like strips that envelops the monument of Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva in a celestial aura.

This same beauty and reverence is also captured in each ancestral tablet. Its crystal glass build, incorporating a frosted base and a clear top, illuminates with an understated contrast. At the same time, the lotus flower symbol - itself representative of purity and enlightenment - comes alive with its incredibly refined details, further contributing to making each ancestral tablet an elegant vessel for the souls of the departed.