Hall of Purity

The Hall of Purity is centred on the symbol of the lotus flower. From a ceiling feature animated with lotus flower motifs to a swirling drawing of the flower on the facade of each niche to its gilded statuette in the hand of Guan Yin, its image is woven into the very fabric of this memorial hall.

One of the Eight Auspicious Symbols of Buddhism, the lotus flower - which grows in muddy waters but rises above the surface to blossom as a pristine flower - embodies the will of each soul to break free from worldly attachments and impurities to achieve enlightenment.

A version of this scene plays out in the window on the facade of each niche, where Gautama Buddha is depicted meditating on a lotus flower. Its slender stem rises to nearly half the height of the window to seemingly keep him levitated in vacuum. Gautama Buddha, for his part, attained self-enlightenment and founded Buddhism.

Inside each niche, the narrative continues with Gautama Buddha in the same pose but with a fiery mandala now enveloping him. A powerful manifestation of the moment he succeeded in purifying all his negative karma and achieved enlightenment, it positions Gautama Buddha as the guide to each soul seeking enlightenment.

A monument of Guan Yin, who is also perched on a lotus flower, overlooks the memorial hall and is equally symbolic. Through her boundless compassion and grace, Guan Yin offers souls divine protection from impurities such as pain and suffering, making her another key figure in their pursuit of enlightenment.