INTRODUCTION
Founded by Master Hsing Yun in 1967, the Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Order is known for its many universities, media outlets and, of course, temples. The grandest and most impressive of these is its headquarters, located just forty-five minutes outside of Kaohsiung City. After finding a few pictures of this beautiful site, we decided to pop over to see for ourselves.
HOW TO GET THERE (FROM KAOHSIUNG)
- If you have a car, head north on National Hwy 10 until you see an exit for Qishan/Dashu. Take this exit to Provincial Hwy 21, where you’ll continue until you see the monastery. It’s a massive golden Buddha, so you really can’t miss it!
- If you’re taking public transportation, you have a choice of Bus 8009, 8010, or 8050 (click here for an English-written schedule), each of which stops right in front of Fo Guang Shan Monastery.
WHAT TO EXPECT
We arrived right at 9:00AM in order to beat the crowds. The early morning was well worth it, as we managed to have the entire monastery to ourselves for the first hour. As we walked alone through the massive, white cobblestone courtyard in complete silence, gazing up at the larger-than-life golden Buddha that overlooks the property, it was impossible not to feel tiny and insignificant in the best way.
Symmetry, which is very prominent in Buddhist design and architecture, has a very powerful presence in the architecture of the monastery. The long, white stone path that leads to the golden Buddha is perfectly flanked by meticulously groomed “redpink” flower bushes, which lead to eight identical pavilions. The courtyard directly beneath the Buddha is surrounded by perfectly spaced statues and paintings of Buddhist figures, along with quotes in English and Mandarin. It’s obvious that this site was extremely well planned, and the effort was well worth it, as it is one of the most beautiful landmarks either of us has ever seen.
While the monastery is clearly meant to inspire awe, it is also meant to be enjoyed! The buildings are both aesthetically pleasing and functional, and include a conference hall, four museums, forty-eight underground time capsules, and even a shopping center where you can buy drinks, snacks and handicrafts. The entire property is open to the public, so we spent a few hours wandering in and out of buildings, finding new, beautiful spots to enjoy.
IMPORTANT DETAILS
- Get there early to beat both the crowds and the heat! The stones are beautiful but make create a bit of a heat trap during the middle of the day.
- Plan on spending at least a few hours here, the property is massive and you don’t want to be rushed.
- The property is open from 9:00AM-6:00PM daily… except Tuesdays, when the entire property is CLOSED (as we, unfortunately, figured out when we tried to go earlier).
- There are restaurants and cafes there, and they focus on vegetarian/vegan cuisine, aligned with Buddhist principles. We ate at the buffet restaurant, and it was delicious and a great value for the price!
- Entrance is free, but feel free to give a donation. This is how the property stays so beautiful!