Longshan Temple, Taipei

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The first thing that hit my attention in this temple was actually the crowd of young people praying there. It was an unusual view for me as I am used to see mainly old people praying in churches, but also in other temples of other religions I visited I never noticed so many young people.
This temple is for worshiping Guanshiyin Budda and other divine spirits.
As soon as you enter there is a huge table where people put food and wait it to be blessed before getting it back and I guess eating it.

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This temple datign back to 1738 is one of the most ornate and the most used temples in the city. I highly recommend a trip to here at sunrise to here to see and here the mronign service with its unworldly chanting. It's a must see in Taipei.

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Lungshan Temple was founded in 1738 and dedicated to the Goddess of Mercy (Kuan In). The Lungshan Temple of today is no longer in the original buildings constructed in 1738 but was rebuilt in 1919 and completed in 1924. Lungshan Temple always keeps its nature as a Buddhist temple but in the course of its development many deities of Taoism were also included, showing a tolerant mentality of the Chinese people in their religious life.

The present Lungshan Temple consists of three halls: fore hall, main hall and rear hall. The fore hall is used as the entrance and the space for people to worship. The main hall is in the center of the whole complex with a statue of Kuan In as the main god of the temple. To the left and right are two other gods.

Lungshan Temple, as the most established Buddhist temple in Taipei, has become the center of the Taiwanese people's religious life and a heritage of local culture. Devotees come to the temple to pray for good health, good fortune, peace and happiness everyday.

Longshan Temple (built in 1738) and is for the worship of the goddess of Mercy and Matsu, the goddess of the sea. Quite an impressive temple, with beautifully carved beams, multi colored sculptures, and a decent waterfall.

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I visited Lungshan Temple on a rainy night after a trip to the nearby Huahsi night market. Smoke rising from huge golden incense pots. People in very ordinary Western dress were all around in various poses of worship: kneeling, bowing, clasping hands together and holding smoldering incense sticks which they tossed into the censers. The pillars and walls are fantastically ornate, in lacquered wood and gilt. Dozens of niches were crammed with golden figures of holy men and weird creatures, with offerings of food and flowers. Even the piped music was strangely effective.
There is nothing to do except stroll around and take it all in, but what an experience.

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Longshan Temple (Long Shan Si) (龍山寺) (Dragon Mountain Temple) is Taipei's most famous as well as one of it's most historical temples. In terms of size, it is not very large; but it is always very bustling, with worshippers and tourists always passing through. The temple was first built in the 1730's and was destructed numerous times by earthquakes, fires, and bombings; the current temple was built after 1945. The architecture of the temple is noteworthy; notice the patterns painted on walls, the carvings on the columns, and the scuplted Dragons on the roof.

Although the word 'Si' usually stands for a Buddhist Temple, many deities are worshipped here. In the main hall of the temple you can see Guanyin Buddha, one of the Amitofo's disciples. In the back hall, there are some Daoist deities, including Tianshangshenmou, better known as Ma-tsu (Matzu), the Goddess of the Sea. There also a small spot for Guangong, the famous Three-Kingdoms Era Warrior (equivalent to a sort of Chinese God of War). Expect the temple always to be crowded.

There are great decorative lamp fairs and temple
activities on historical festivals.
On each 1st and 15th day each month of lunar year,
regular visitors will come to the temple for worship ceremony.
The temple attracts many people. At normal times,
there are domestic/foreign tourists visiting the temple.
Lungshan Temple is not only a temple, a sightseeing attraction,
but also a second-degree historical site.
There are traditional streets/shops, antique shops,
Buddhists article shops, and Chinese medicine shops
surrounding the temple. These places are great to visit
due to their richness in folk art.

OPEN HOURS
09:00~17:00


The temple was filled with people praying for the dead.
I was very hesitant to take photos
because I didn't want to offend anyone.

Lungshan Temple is a famous old temple in Taiwan.
It is for worshiping Guanshiyin Budda and other divine spirits.
Lungshan Temple is facing the South. Its architecture
is a three-section design in shape. There are the front hall,
the rear hall and the right/left dragons protecting the middle hall.
The layout is square and serene. The temple was built in
Chianlung 5th year in Ching Dynasty. Due to natural disaster and
damages caused by men, the temple was restored for several times.
The doors, beams, and poles are beautifully decorated.
There are a pair of bronze dragon poles in the front hall,
four pairs of dragon poles in the middle hall. The sculptures are delicate.
There are also exquisite wood sculptures. Among them, the well and Budda
setting in the main hall are highly appreciated. The temple has many
Chinese poems, verses and lyrics on signs. These add a touch of literature
in addition to the religious and sightseeing value.
It was packed with people who came to pray and burn incense.

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The Lungshan Tempel is Taipei's oldest and most popular tempel. The constructions began in 1738 and was completed two years later. The tempel was quite crowded when we were there; both worshippers and tourists.

Lungshan Temple was first built in 1653 (the 10th year of Emperor Shunzhi's reign of the Qing Dynasty) by Zhao Shan the Master Monk by moving an Avalokitesvara bronze statue of the Tang Dynasty to Lugang from Longshan Temple in the Quan Prefecture, thus beginning the construction of the temple. It was subsequently repaired, maintained and rebuilt many times. The layout and the structural pattern of the whole temple is the image of Wenling Longshan Temple. It is said the skilful craftsmen were invited from Fujian, Guangdong and other provinces to design and construct the temple. There are 99 doors altogether. The temple is very magnificent. The stone drums, stone columns, stone doors, stone walls and stone balustrades are all simple and unsophisticated. Especially the dragon columns are delicately carved, lining up in three rows one after another in different style but exquisitely worked out with the conspicuous relief beards and brows in vivid posture, They form an art treasure of stone carving in Taiwan winning the good reputation of "Taiwan Art Hall". In the hall proper, Avalokitesvara, Bodhisattva are enshrined; around them are 18 arhats, each of which is lifelike. At the right wall corner, there is a big bell, standing two meters high with a diameter of 1.2 meters, which weighs about five hundred kilograms. It is the biggest bronze bell ever seen in Taiwan temples at present. According to records, this big Bell was cast by several craftsmen from Ningbo, Zhejiang Province in 1859 (the 9th year of Emperor Xianfeng's reign of the Wing Dynasty) ringing loud and clear which can be heard far away. It is known as "Dragon Hill Morning Bell".