The monastery was built by wealthy Hokkien merchants to commemorate the visit of Empress Dowager Cixi to the monastery's founder.
It is the only monastery in Singapore to be officially gazetted as a National Monument.
The name 'Lian Shan Shuang Lin' translates to 'Lotus Mountain Twin Grove', referencing the birthplace of Buddha.
Many of the decorative elements, such as the elaborate roof tiles and stone carvings, were hand-crafted by artisans brought over from Fujian province.
The monastery occupies a site that was once surrounded by dense forest, which was cleared by the early monks to construct the temple complex.
Lian Shan Shuang Lin Monastery is the oldest Buddhist monastery in Singapore, founded in 1898 by a Chinese immigrant monk named Low Sen. The complex is designed based on the traditional Fujian monastery architectural style, featuring a blend of Fuzhou and Quanzhou construction techniques. It serves as a gazetted National Monument of Singapore, housing multiple halls including the Hall of Celestial Kings and the Dharma Hall. The grounds feature a distinctive seven-story pagoda, the Pagoda of the Buddha Relics, which stands as a prominent visual landmark within the site. The architecture incorporates intricate wood carvings, stone work, and roof ceramic decorations imported from China during the early 20th century. The site remains an active place of worship for the local Buddhist community and serves as a site for merit-making activities. Its design reflects the 'mountain-style' layout, which typically incorporates a north-south axis through the various halls.
The courtyard facing the seven-story Pagoda of the Buddha Relics provides the most iconic perspective.
Remove your footwear before entering the interior of any of the prayer halls.
Walk the grounds clockwise to follow the traditional path around the stupas and sacred structures.
Keep a quiet volume, as this remains a functioning monastery with resident monks.
Avoid taking photographs of monks or worshippers without prior permission, and do not touch the religious artifacts.
Modest clothing covering shoulders and knees is required; remove footwear before entering halls; avoid pointing fingers at statues.
