The monastery was founded in 1906 by three monks visiting from Jiangsu Province on the Chinese mainland and was initially known simply as "The Big Hut" (Chinese: 大茅蓬; Jyutping: daai6 maau4 pung4).

The main temple houses three bronze statues of the Buddha – representing his past, present and future lives – as well as many Buddhist scriptures.

[1] This monastery is also noted for making wooden bracelets that are only sold near the Tian Tan Buddha statue.

In 1918, three nuns ordained at this monastery established a private nunnery called Chi Chuk Lam (紫竹林) on Lantau's Lower Keung Hill (下羌山).

There were about 20 jushi and nuns residing there in the 1950s, but now only an elderly abbess remains.