Kun Iam Ecumenical Centre


One of the most extraordinary, and certainly one of my favourite, sacred sites in the world is the Kun Iam Ecumenical Centre in Macau.
A vast modern statue of Kwan Yin, designed by a Portuguese artist and built by craftsmen in China, sits atop a large chapel, the whole thing at the end of a pier thrust out into the water right next to the MGM Grand Casino! It's an eccentric space, the vision of one of those remarkable Chinese millionaires who like nothing better than erecting follies. The Centre is almost always completely empty except for a bored staffer. Busloads of tourists pull up outside for a photo-op on the way to the casinos, but none seem to ever come inside.
Being inside Kwan Yin is an amazing feeling, and the whole chapel is really quite well designed and deeply restful. I can (and have) meditated there for hours, and I only wish the place had a more active spiritual programme - it seems such a waste of such a brilliant location.

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