Koahsiung might be the Heart of southern Taiwan, but it
doesn’t have a lot to offer to a would-be tourist. That being said it is worth a visit if only
to go see the Fo Guang Shan Buddha Memorial Complex.
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| Dome of Light |
Koahsiung,
located in the southwestern corner of Taiwan, is its second largest city and
also has a fairly extensive public transportation system. The city has two subway lines that create a
cross through town (with one that circles town currently in construction) and
an extensive bus system that is currently free (I have been told that it is
only free till the other subway line is finished though). At the intersection of the two subway lines
is one of the only tourist attractions in the town proper; the largest glass
moral in the world named the ‘Dome of Light.’
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| Buddha statues in the main temple |
Besides
the Dome of Light and a few creative parks there is not much reason to visit
Koahsiung city itself, but it is still a must travel to point for anyone
wanting to see the best of Taiwan for one reason, the Fo Guang Shan Buddha
Memorial Complex. This complex is the
largest temple complex in Taiwan and is a wonder to see. It is split into two parts, the Buddha
Memorial and the temple compound.
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| Giant Buddha above the memorial |
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| Pathway of the Fo Guang Shan Memorial Compound from the museum |
Stepping
off the bus I was amazed at the size of it all.
I knew that there was a large Buddha statue there but expecting it to be
within a compound the size of those I had seen before was not prepared for
grandeur and size of the compound I was just dropped off at. Walking through the main building leading to
the Buddha Memorial I was thrown off by the fact that it was full of shops and
expensive restaurants; not what I expected at the entrance to a memorial. Once I entered the memorial compound I was
astonished at the scale of it all. The large
pathway leading to the Buddha is lined by four large pagodas and ends at the
memorial with the large Buddha statue towering high above. The memorial building itself is well worth
visiting, as it has various museums (including one about the underground
palaces) and three smaller temples (Jade Buddha, Golden Buddha, and Avalokitesvara
Shrines) within it.
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| Sutra Repository |
The temple
compound is equally astounding and was made up of a series of temples, gardens,
and living areas. On the mountain side
overlooking both the memorial compound and main temple complex is the Sutra
Repository, which houses over 50 editions of Buddhists cannons.
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| Jade Buddha Temple |
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| Golden Buddha Temple |
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| Prayer outside the main temple |
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| Large Buddha statue in the Buddha Land section |
Across
from the Sutra Repository is the main temple complex. Upon entering I was surprised at the size and
beauty of both the compound itself and of all the temples inside. The compound, among other buildings, had Jade
and Golden Buddha temples (each of which had walls studded with Buddha statues
made of either jade or gold), a large main temple with a large foyer leading to
it, and another large Buddha statue at the height of the mountain circled by
smaller Buddha statues.
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| Lit pathway at the main temple |
Having
gotten a late start on our way to the temple complex we arrived in the
afternoon. This did not allow us a whole
lot of time, but it did allow us to see the complex both by day and night. At night the whole place is lit up and is
stunning to see. That being said, I do
suggest allotting a whole day for this excursion as there is a lot to see apart
from just the buildings and temples.
Many of the areas also have shows and food to enjoy; something I wish I
would have had more time to experience.
Getting There
From
the High-speed Railway Station, you can take the 8501 or 8010 bus directly
there.
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