Longshan Temple

After visiting the National Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, I hopped on the nearby subway and traveled approximately seven stops and visited Longshan Temple.  This temple is where countless generations of Taipei citizens have come to pray.  It was built in 1738 by settlers from China and is considered one of the oldest and most famous temples in Taiwan.  However, the temple has been destroyed either in full or in part on numerous earthquakes and fires but, thankfully, Taipei residents have nevertheless consistently rebuilt and renovated it.  As the temple is dedicated to Guanyin (the Buddhist representation of compassion) it is officially defined as Buddhist, but there is a great amount of folk religion mixed into the fabric of the beliefs at this temple.  This temple is far removed from the skyscrapers and shopping malls of East Taipei.  The area around Longshan Temple, Wanhua, is one of the original districts of Taipei.  And, while much of the traditional architecture has been lost, the area still maintains a traditional feel.  There are all sorts of traditional streets and shops surrounding the temple.  The temple’s layout is square and Longshan Temple is seen as an example of Taiwanese classical architecture, with southern Chinese influences commonly seen in older buildings.  The temple was pretty crowded when I went there and it was such a gorgeous late morning - those clouds from earlier now dissipated.  I only stayed there for about a half-hour as I still had other sights to see, as again, this was my last full day in Taipei.  I felt this was an authentic ‘old school’ type of temple - the outside water-display across the street notwithstanding.  I hope you enjoy the pics below.  Again, lots of dragons which are always cool…