Titled 'Eternity in Light', the five-chapter tome features writings about the Tsz Shan Monastery to mark its 10th anniversary The Tsz Shan Monastery, built by the Li Ka Shing Foundation, has published a new book, offering a peek into the philosophy and wisdom of Hong Kong's wealthiest man, whose own rags-to-riches life story has inspired generations of entrepreneurs.
Titled "Eternity in Light", the five-chapter tome was published to mark the monastery's 10th anniversary, featuring writings by scholars of Buddhism and professors of architecture about the landmark in Tai Po in Hong Kong's New Territories.
The Li Ka Shing Foundation was the temple's main benefactor, contributing HK$3.5 billion (US$446 million) towards its land acquisition, construction costs and operating expenses, according to its website.
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The monastery had been preparing the book for a long time, according to a source familiar with the matter. Still, its release came days after Li's flagship company CK Asset Holdings had to rebut rumours of a purported sale of his family home of more than six decades, amid a spate of disposals by other indebted property owners and wealthy families.
CK Hutchison Holdings, the second flagship of the Li family, also faces increased scrutiny from both Beijing and Washington regarding the company's plan to sell a portfolio of 43 international ports, including terminals at the Panama Canal, amid heightened geopolitical tensions.
Li, who turned 97 last month, has been dubbed Hong Kong's "Superman" for his perspicacity and deal-making prowess. Since 1980, his namesake foundation has given away more than HK$30 billion to support education, medical services, charity and poverty relief in Hong Kong, mainland China and all over the world.
The Tsz Shan Monastery, which took more than a decade to build, was established as an institute for Buddhist learning, practice, spiritual cultivation, and a sanctuary for "quiet contemplation and purification, and to foster a culture of sharing and giving", the foundation said.
The hard-bound book features 246 pages and a lenticular print of the Guanyin statue on the cover, meant to convey the 32 forms of the goddess as depicted in the Lotus Sutra. The book is not for sale, with 1,000 copies printed in a limited run for believers who have a "karmic connection with Buddhism", the monastery said.
Li, one of Hong Kong's most celebrated entrepreneurs, has never published an autobiography. The monastery's book, with its collection of analects presented as stories, gives the reader the closest to an authorised insight into how Buddhist philosophy fused with Li's wisdom and management style.
Chapter one comprises eight stories. One of the first stories explains why the Tsz Shan Monastery replaced the customary incense and joss sticks with offerings of water to protect the environment. Water offerings also align with Buddhist teachings and the likeness of Guanyin - a goddess usually presented as holding a purification vase and a willow sprig - and bring clarity of mind.
The story highlights that sincerity, not form, is what truly matters in practice and in a modern world that emphasises environmental protection and safety.
Another story notes that the mani pearl held by the monastery's 76-metre tall Guanyin statue symbolises wisdom, inner peace and clarity amid a modern, chaotic world.
In an exchange with his younger son Richard, the elder Li recalled an episode when the boy asked if a strange light he saw was a ghost. "A righteous heart fears no ghosts," Li said, alluding to the Buddhist lore of the Cintamani that highlighted the limitations of worldly perception and the ineffable quality of ultimate truth in Buddhism.
Li also proposed placing the temple's donation boxes discreetly and donating proceeds entirely to charity. This protected the purity of giving and kept the monastery's focus on selfless service, according to the book.
Planning and construction of the Tsz Shan Monastery began in 2003, and it was completed more than 10 years later. Li delayed the monastery's consecration to build a Buddhist art museum as he felt art could preserve Buddhist teachings more sustainably.
"Building the temple has always been the aspiration of my late parents and me," Li said on the day of the delayed consecration. "What matters more is who the temple is built for than who built it."
"Buddhist art transcends worldly prejudices and remains timeless. It grants the viewer a sense of inner peace, inspires joy and reverence, and aligns with the true essence of the Dharma; this is what constitutes eternal and boundless merit."
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This article originally appeared on the South China Morning Post (www.scmp.com), the leading news media reporting on China and Asia.
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