Port
Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Activity Level
Moderate
Excursion Type
All
Wheelchair Accessible
No
Starting At
$89.95
Minimum Age
Information Not Currently Available
Duration
Approximately 5 Hours
Meals Included
Meals not included
The founder of Buddhism, Siddhartha Gautama, was born more than 2,500 years ago in what is now Southern Nepal. Today, there are 300 million Buddhists worldwide, with five million followers in Taiwan alone. Discover the history of this age-old religion with a walk through the countryside just outside of Kaohsiung.
Your journey begins with a relaxing 60-minute panoramic drive north to the Fo Guang Shan Monastery -- Buddha’s Light Mountain. Resting in a bamboo forest at the foot of the mountain, the monastery is home to a complex of structures devoted to the practice of humanistic Buddhism, which applies Buddha’s core principles to daily life.
Giant Buddha statues welcome you to the Fo Guang Shan Monastery, founded in 1967 by the venerable master Hsing Yun, Fo Guang Shan is the best known Buddhist center in southern Taiwan and is the largest Buddhist monastery in Taiwan.
Continue to the Buddha Memorial Center, covering more than 247 acres. The design of the Buddha Memorial Center is inspired by both an Indian stupa and the Mahabodhi Temple inside the Bodhgaya religious site in India. Above it sits the world’s tallest bronze sitting Buddha statue. In front of the statue is the Way to Buddhahood path flanked by Eight Pagodas on either side, making it perhaps the most magnificent Buddhist landmark in southern Taiwan. The center opened in 2011 to promote cultural and religious education. The Cultural Museum here is Taiwan’s only museum specializing in Buddhist artifacts. The Buddha Memorial Center has in its possession a relic which is said to be Buddha’s tooth —one of only three in the entire world—as well as many Buddhist artifacts donated by various countries. The art gallery displays an array of historical and cultural treasures, including poetry, calligraphy, religious instruments, and antiques. It is one of the biggest Buddhist art treasuries in the world.
Return to your transport for the scenic trip back to the pier with a deeper understanding and appreciation of Buddhism.
Notes:
Tour operates subject to meeting a minimum number of participants. Visiting a Buddhist temple requires observing specific rules -- please do not point at Buddha statues, monks or nuns, and please keep your voice low because people may be meditating even if they are walking. Buddha Memorial Center is closed Tuesdays; a visit to Sutra Calligraphy at the Monastery will be substituted.