Hall of Clarity

The Hall of Clarity, characterised by clean lines and mirror finishes, is a statement of contemporary design. These elements combine with the skylight-inspired ceiling to bring light into every corner of the memorial hall and fill it with an ethereal glow. Classic Buddhist iconography is interwoven throughout, offering another nod to its spiritual underpinning.

Among it: a monument of Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva (大愿地藏菩萨) taking pride of place at the end of the hall, where it watches over each niche and ancestral tablet. He’s revered for deferring his own enlightenment to liberate the souls in all realms of existence from even their deepest pain and suffering and guide them towards enlightenment first.

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.

More auspicious symbols abound on each column. Together, they make up the Eight Auspicious Symbols of Buddhism, collectively known as the Ashtamangala. As timeless icons of spiritual blessings and good fortune, they are almost always depicted as a sacred set (like in this hall) to amplify their potency.

Likewise, the facade of each niche is rich with symbolism. Swirling, rhinestone-studded clouds float against a rough-hewn surface, evoking the interconnectedness between the idyllic charm of Heaven, or Sukhavati (the Western Pure Land), and the tribulations of life on Earth.

They frame a glass mirror inscribed with a portrait of Amitābha Buddha, who presides over Sukhavati, and the texts of Buddhist prayers. The material lends it a beautiful, multi-dimensional effect that merges seamlessly with the hall’s weightless aesthetic.

The crystal glass build of each ancestral tablet continues this design language, but creates a focal point out of a lotus flower symbol - itself a vessel of purity and enlightenment. Its translucent base diffuses the backlight across the contours of the flower, immortalising the fleeting beauty of its full bloom just as it does the souls of the departed.