Fo Guang Shan (Taiwan-Kaohsiung) 台灣高雄佛光山

台灣高雄佛光山 Fo Guang Shan at Taiwan, Kaohsiung (Gaoxiong)

 

 

 

 

 

The Main Shrine of the 3 Buddha surrounded by mini Buddha statues simulating Dun Huang cave environment

Very worth visiting, serene feel...

 

 

 

 

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The Pureland Cave simulation

(much like S'pore Haw Par Villa feel)

 

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The 500 Arhat statues in the open

 

 

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The new Memorial center ~ Grand

(About 15mins walk from Main Shrine, one is recommended to take their tram car to their Memorial center Front Hall which hosts commercial activities)

 Thereafter, one still has to passby 8 pagodas (4 at each side) which also have different themes of exhibition before reaching the great Memorial center main hall where the Hugh sitting Buddha is (introduced as the Tallest & Largest copper-made sitting Buddha in the world).

 

 

 

Photo-taking is not allowed in the Great hall beneath the Great Copper Sitting Buddha stature.

From the entrance, you will first come into contact with the Guanyin Hall followed by the Golden Buddha Hall (Golden Sitting Buddha stature donated by the Thai King) and the Jade Buddha Hall (Very serene with the White Jade Reclining Buddha at centre and the colorful carvings of the Eastern and Western Pureland on left & right of the Jade Buddha. At the centre also hosts the Relics of the Buddha.)

The Great Hall also hosts 4 exhibition halls incorporated with modern technology effect and also a 4D cinema on the Life story of the Buddha.

The Jade Buddha Hall (with the Western Pureland carvings) is my personal favourite at the memorial center and I feel the energy is really good there, not to miss visiting it if you are there.

 

Fo Guang Shan is located at No.153, Xingtian Rd., Dashu Dist., Kaohsiung City, Taiwan (高雄市大樹區興田里興田路153號)

Telephone: 07-6561921 Ext. 6213

Opens from 8.30am-5.30pm (been told there is accomodation within FGS that can be arranged if one is interested to stay longer)

One will need more than half a day to have a good tour of the Main Shrine area and the new Memorial Hall.

There are shuttle buses outside the Memorial Hall to nearest MRT (JiuQuTang)  as well as to Bus Transport station beside Kaohsiung Railway Station (abt 45min  & NT91, there is a 7.50am bus departing from Kaohsiung & last bus from FGS back is 5.40pm)  

More info on transportation can be found in this weblink: http://www.fgs.org.tw/fgs/fgs_traffic.aspx

 

Oh, and there are at least 4 Waterdrop Teahouse within the FGS premises with different themes and one can relax and have a break in the relaxing environment. There is also free food & tea provided in the dining hall near the Main Shrine served by friendly volunteers. One could easily spend a day there so suggest to start visiting the place early in the morning. :-) 

台灣高雄屏东县 力健山 Li Jian San

 

 

 

 

 

相思树

 

While climbing Li Jian San (力健山) which has similar treks like S'pore's Bukit Timah Hill, as I was just concentrating on the climbing and catching my breath, I didn't really realise the beauty of the place till I relook at some of the pictures taken of the beautiful surrounding sky and trees. :-)

Oh, there are 2 rest stops at top of the hill whereby you could have a good meal to regain your energy :-P

Taiwan Gaoxiong Beach 台湾高雄海边

On the Expressway to Taidong 台东 direction from Gaoxiong's Chaozhou 高雄潮洲市, there is a seaside which along the way has some local resorts (民宿) and one of it is near the Lion Head Mountain Farm (狮头山农场) which we stopped over at a Vegetarian cafe, 淡然养生休闲坊 for lunch.
Crossing the expressway, one could venture along the beach/seaside for a stroll.

 

 

 

 

 

Warm sun, blue sky, beautiful clouds, vast sea,

interesting wave-eroded hugh stones ...

Good relaxing walk

 

 

but do be careful as there are warnings by the authority not to swim or play around the stones as the mild looking waves can turn life-threatening too... 

 

 

 

Teochew, He Ping Li, Master Song Da Feng Memorial Hall 宋大峰祖师纪念馆

28th of the Lunar month of Oct,  is the anniversary in memorial of the compassionate  Venerable Master Song Da Feng 宋大峰祖师from the Song Dynasty. His charitable acts, especially in the construction of a bridge at He Ping Li和平里, Teochew潮州, won the respect of the people in Teochew.

 

 

See the green bonsai with Chinese character: 欢迎贵宾 (Welcome Honoured Guests)?

 The bonsai art is really a featured art for their local and oversea temples.

 

Behind this shrine is the tomb of the Venerable.

Just like the Goddess of Sea 妈祖 is widely worshipped by the Hokkiens, Master Song Da Feng is also widely worshipped by the Teochews, especially the oversea Chinese Teochews, in their earlier days when they migrated and settled down in the country, they would build temples to worship Master Song Da Feng and pray for his blessings.

As the temples would generally embark on charity projects such as providing free or heavily subsidised medical help, they are greatly appreciated by the locals too.

Poh Ming Tse 普明寺

 

Poh Ming Tse temple 普明寺, a 3 storey modern building that you would not have associate it as a temple on first look. It is here that many centres rent its premises to hold their retreat as well as the temple inviting famous, learned teachers to give Dharma talk.

 

 

Its Hall of Boundless Light, with the serene Buddha Sakyamuni and Cundi Guanyin Bodhisattva radiating positive energy, is suitable for meditation, talks and pujas. 

 

With lights if fully on in the evening, it does look like a hugh lantern, radiating lights of wisdom, guiding beings towards the right path of Enlightenment...

 

More info on Poh Ming Tse can be found on its web: http://www.pmt.org.sg/

 

It is located at corner, along the main road just opposite the Coronation Plaza which hosts the famous vegetarian restaurant, Miao Yi Vegetarian. For those who don't drive and come from Central, you may take bus 171 from Newton Mrt or 174 from Somerset MRT & alight at bus-stop at Coronation Plaza. Cross the over-head bridge at the Coronation Plaza and walk against the traffic, you will see it just after the bus-stop. Other buses available at the bus-stop: 66, 67, 74, 151, 156, 157, 170, 171, 174, 540, 852, 961.

More info on how to get there: http://www.pmt.org.sg/Contact.aspx

It opens daily except on Public holidays from 10am to 6pm.

Tel: 64660785 for enquiries

 

JIU HUA SHAN 九华山

I love travelling, especially to Mountains in Autumn season.
I like the majestic scenery, the beautiful nature, of trees, cliff, stones...
My recent visit to one of the four famous Buddhist mountains: Jiu hua shan 九华山 in China's Anhui province.

I always admire the Chinese's development of Infrastructure for their tourism, especially their cable-car system that aided in bringing us to great heights within minutes to enjoy the great view. 

More info on Jiuhuashan can be found at: http://www.jiuhuashan.com.cn/jhsd/web_view.php?ty=2

Thank you to sister AW, PK, AK for contributing the pictures :-)

开福禅寺 Kai Fu Chan Si

开福禅寺位于安徽省合肥市郊大蜀山南麓

Located at Anhui province's Hefei suburb, 开福禅寺 (Kaifuchansi) has a history of 1400 years since Tang Dynasty. It was destroyed in 1937 during the war times and finally completed restoration in 2009. And thereafter, a Majestic Monastery arises and we had the good karma to visit it as our last temple pilgrim stop this round to end our journey beautifully.

大雄宝殿 (Main Hall)

弥陀殿 (Hall of Amitabha Buddha)

It is a majestic monastery with many grand Halls such as the Hall of Amitabha Buddha, Hall of Medicine Buddha, Hall of Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva (Guanyin) , Hall of Ksitigarbha Boddhisattva, Hall of Arhats, etc.

Majestic and serene, and one could see well organised volunteers taking care of the monastery, very orderly and so orderly that photo taking of the statures are not allowed in the Halls.

Personally, perhaps affinity, my favourite is the Hall of Amitabha Buddha, in it are majestic statures of the 3 Saints of Western Pureland.

Each Hall has its unique features and most Halls has either beautiful paintings or stone carvings that illustrates the Teachings/stories of related Buddha or Bodhisattva or Arhats. It also has a Prajna-Paramita bookstore near the entrance of the monastery that has a wise selection of free-distribution books and DVDs.
Certainly another good place to spend a peaceful day.

(fyi, unlike Spore, most temples in China do collect entrance fees (token as maintenance fee) unless you have their Triple Gem Refuge identification issued by China's temples)



Thank you to sister AW, PK, AK for contributing the pictures, Amituofo