Hong Kong ( CNN ) Nestled in a tranquil hillside , Hong Kong 's newest Buddhist monastery features bulletproof VIP rooms and the world 's second tallest statue of the Goddess of Mercy -- a Buddhist deity . The monastery is funded entirely by Asia 's richest man , Li Ka-shing , who contributed $ 193 million from his personal foundation to the building project . The premises , styled on Tang dynasty buildings , sprawl across a lush , green area of 500,000 square feet - around nine football fields . It can accommodate up to 400 to 500 visitors daily , but will not be open to tour groups in order to preserve the sacred atmosphere . Li initiated the project in 2003 to promote Buddhism in the city and construction took five years to complete . At a height of 76 meters ( 250 feet ) , the Goddess of Mercy statue overlooks the site and a breathtaking view of Hong Kong 's harbor and several islands . The monastery also features several grand halls , including one which houses three ornate 24-karat gold plated Buddhist statues , where people can meditate , and learn about Buddhism . But perhaps the most intriguing feature is the bulletproof dormitory rooms . One of the three dormitories that provide housing for visiting monks from all over world has built-in bulletproof windows to protect `` important guests . '' `` We installed the bulletproof glass windows because we hoped there could be a place to protect our important guests such as the Supreme Patriarch of Thailand and other top monks , '' Walter Ngai Kai-shu , secretary general of the monastery told local media . The rooms are still empty , and Ngai added that they were not designed for Li or any specific individual , reported the South China Morning Post . Visitors are not allowed to bring joss sticks , meat , alcohol , or other food offerings in order to be environmentally friendly -- - instead the monastery will provide water . `` There are many other ways to offer the Buddha apart from joss sticks , '' Ngai told local media . Currently , a dozen monks , mainly from Hong Kong and Southeast Asia reside inside the monastery . It will be open to the public on April 15 , but registration and booking is now available online . CNN 's Shen Lu contributed to this report .
Hong Kong 's newest monastery features bulletproof VIP rooms and the world 's second tallest Goddess of Mercy statue . Score: 7