Foo Hai Ch'an Monastery

The main entrance of the Monastery has two Dharmapala protectors, called Heng and Ha. Heng and Ha, the Chinese name of the Dharmapala protectors. During the Chinese adoption of Buddhism, under the influence of Taoism and folk religions, where even numbers are considered sacred, two larger-than-life Dharampala protectors, Heng and Ha, made from metal, were installed on the main entrance of the monastery.[3][4]

Inside the boundary wall from the main entrance are two towers, one each on the north and south corners of the platform housing the main monastery building, a Bell gong tower to the north side and drum tower to the south side. In the morning, the gong is played 108 times, descending from louder to gentler sound, to announce the end of the night and to awaken from deep unconscious. In the evening, the gong is played 108 times, ascending from gentler to louder sound. The sounds are played to remind listeners of illusions.[3][4]

The multi-storey main monastery building has a large airy 15 m high prayer hall in the front, which houses a 4-storey high reception, office, administration, auditorium, meeting rooms and toilets at the back. The main hall houses 3.3 meters statue of Buddha and 9.9 meter tall statues of Guanyin.

Inside the main large prayer hall, there is a 9.9 m (32.5 feet) tall 1000-hands Guanyin (or Guan Yin) statue of Buddha, which is the South Asian adoption of the Indian-origin Bodhisattva, the feminine representation of compassionate qualities of Buddha.[3][4] There is a large altar in front of the deity, several ornate statues in the roof, and several rows for praying.

A five-story high pagoda, built in 2004 by the Siddhartha centre which donated Sg$6 million to Foo Hai Ch'an in 2004, lies in the central north direction. Each floor houses decorated statutes of Buddha in various styles; the top floor houses the sacred Buddha relics.[3][4]

Inside the main entrance, to the immediate right side, there is a five-storey above-ground teaching centre, library and guest house building with toilets.[3][4]

Singapore Bodhi Tree is a sacred Bodhi Tree,[3][4] between the main monastery building and pagoda. It is a gift given to the monastery by the then visiting president of Sri Lanka. It comes from the cutting of Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi tree (planted at Anuradhapura in 288 BC, by king Ashoka's eldest daughter Sangamitta) after taking a sapling cutting from the original UNESCO World Heritage Site Bodhi Tree at Bodh Gaya in India under which Buddha attained the enlightenment.

Foo Hai Ch'an Columbarium,[3][4] housing urns containing ashes of cremated deceased people, lies in the basement under the pagoda and guest house building.