Entree Kibbles: Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum (佛光山佛陀紀念館) @ Kaohsiung in Taiwan

Wednesday, December 24, 2025

Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum (佛光山佛陀紀念館) @ Kaohsiung in Taiwan

One of the things I know I die die must do at Kaohsiung City was a visit to Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum, even though I am not that religious despite being a Buddhist, and that Alex is not big on religion.

It didn't help that the drive using our rental car took us about an hour, before we saw the information tower with the two key words 佛光, which mean the Buddha's Light.

After parking, we proceed to the main gate that was built like the grand entrance to an imperial palace. Honestly, we went in like headless mosquitoes and it was only much later that I realized there was much more to Fo Guang Shan.

Alex was just pleased he can finally rest from the driving.

Something gigantic appeared beyond the gateway! The icon of Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum, and the most noticeable for obvious reasons; the Big Buddha, differing from the namesake at Phuket.

On our left would be the sections I didn't manage to cover; including the Dharma Mountain and Sangha Mountain, latter of which would be the location for the main monastery and lodges for visitors.

Buddha Mountain, where we would be exploring, took up only 40% of the land area, and we already took about three hours! Imagine how much more time had to be allocated if we were to explore Fo Guang Shan in its entirety!

The Front Hall with shops flanking the main passage, like a small scale shopping mall. More on this later after we were done "climbing up" Buddha Mountain!

Byond the front hall shall be the Great Path of Buddhahood! No doubt a great motivation for a Buddhist even though we all know it takes a lot more to achieve nirvana. Oh well, good to fantasize a bit.

How long would you think the path was? According to Google Map, it's a straight 450 meters until the next building! And what happened if it rains? There were sheltered walkways at the perimeter but it wouldn't be the same as walking down the unsheltered Great Path!

Spending a bit of time taking time lapsed video.

Highest point, and highlight would be the colossal Fo Guang Big Buddha! Completed in 2011, and at a height of 108 meters, this is the "world's largest copper-cast Buddha statue"!

Eight pagodas flanked the Great Path of Buddhahood, and they were named the eightfold path, seven admonishments, six perfections, five harmonies, four givings, three goodness, two assemblies and one teaching.

Ahead of us and back of us. Strolling slowly along the path, we were in awe yet humbled by how small we were, in the presence and the watching eyes of the Buddha. Maybe because of the lack of visitors, the walk was extremely therapeutic.

Two Assemblies Pagoda - serving as a children's gallery, it had a blown up doll of a bear bearing three sentences, "do good deeds, speak good words and have good intentions", that reminded me of this character in the Hong Kong period drama, Beyond the Realm of Conscience.

Seemed like there was a cinema showing an anime that won an award on the 52nd Golden Bell Awards. Called "我爱欢喜", it talks about a young monk and centres around Buddhism and promotes positivity.

Alex goofing around.

Good mood that day!

One of the many wise advices from the founder of Fo Guang Shan, Venerable Master Hsing Yun. This mentioned that a person's level of tolerance translates into the amount of strength, and how much a person can bear, will translate into the achievement that materializes. Do note that in Buddhism, being rich is not an achievement.

Reaching almost the end of the Great Path of Buddhahood.

Bell and Drum Towers on each side.

Sacrilegious!

Bodhi Wisdom Concourse - imagine if devotees would all seated on this concourse while the abbot of Fo Guang Shan gave a speech. That would have been so impressive! Maybe not in summer though as even the temperature in January was warm even for a Singaporean.

Looking like one building, the Fo Guang Big Buddha was actually on top of another building. The structure in front had the appearance of a tiered pyramid, dotted with four stupas at each corner.

Statues of the Eighteen Arhats. I thought all arhats are male but in this case, three were included, and they were "Mahaprajapati Bhiksuni (above), Utpalavarna Bhiksuni, and Bhadra Kapilani Bhiksuni".

Four of the "The Eight Patriarchs" - the founders of the "Eight Mahayana Schools of Chinese Buddhism". Most famous should be Damo, also known as Bodhidharma.

Legends of Buddhism depicted pictorially with explanations in both Chinese and English. The above talked about the origin of the Hungry Ghost Festival, from the Buddhist perspective.

Looking back at the main entrance.

We had walked 450 meters!

Entering the tiered pyramid building to unlock its "treasures" within! This centerpiece on the ceiling wowed us with its vibrant colors, surrounded by red lanterns, and dotted with golden petals in the centre.

Main hall was more muted yet still impressive.

Especially the sculpted wooden chair, that was blocked off.

Notice for visitors.

Love the quiet sign.

The historical museum of fo guang shan. Even though I live in Singapore, I have actually heard of fo guang shan, which had a branch in Singapore, at Punggol. In addition, I caught a few sermons online, via Facebook feeds, by Venerable Master Hsing Yun.

Everything started in the year 1927.

Venerable Master Hsing Yun was born on that year with the name "Lee Kuo-shen", and tonsured in 1938. The name Hsing Yun was actually named by himself to "illuminate the world".

Photographs of Venerable Master Hsing Yun in his youth. He was originally from Jiangsu province in China, and travelled to Taiwan in 1949, as part of the Monastic Rescue Team.

To promote the teachings of buddhism, Venerable Master Hsing Yun formed the "first Buddhist Youth Choir" and promoted buddhist hymn singing. Quite interesting to read this though as even at this contemporary times, this is still quite unheard of in Singapore.

Founding of Fo Guang Shan was in 1967 and unbeknownst to many, the monastery was closed in 1997 and the decision to reopen was made three years later, after appeals by former "President Chen Shui-bian of the Republic of China and government officials from Kaohsiung".

Other branches of Fo Guang Shan, which also included kindergartens. From the overall map of Fo Guang Shan, I also noticed a children's home (da ci children's home) and a university (fo guang shan tsung lin university) on monastery grounds.

Buddha's Light International Association; associated with Fo Guang Shan (Fo Guang means Buddha's Light by the way) and from the number of flags; likely had branches all over the world.

I spotted a Singapore flag!

Humanitarian efforts by Fo Guang Shan, including for disasters like the 1999 September 21 earthquake in Taiwan, the 2001 September 11 terrorist attacks in USA, and the Sichuan earthquake in 2008.

Waxed models of Venerable Master Hsing Yun, who passed away in 2023 at the grand age of 95 years old. It's indeed true that he held a very esteemed position in the hearts of the devotees; similar to how we Singaporeans feel about Mr Lee Kuan Yew. Not sure if he wants to be hero-worshipped and idolized in such manner though.

Golden Buddha, gifted by by the Supreme Patriarch of Thailand in 2004. Not sure if it was made in solid gold though, since Bangkok does have a Wat Traimit with a solid gold statue of the Buddha.

We didn't check out the rest of the exhibitions / attractions at the main hall, and decided to look out for the signs that would lead us to the one attraction I wanted to visit.

The Big Buddha! Known as "the largest seated Sakyamuni Buddha statue in Asia" and sat at "a height of 108 meters", it was "installed in 2011", made from "1,800 tons of coppers" and took 1.5 years to complete!

With no tall building behind the Big Buddha, it was a poster-perfect picture, as if buddha had descended from heaven and giving a badly needed sermon to the masses who are living in the messy world we are in now.

Despite the same hand gestures, Alex is not buddha quality.

To fair, neither am I, and the same goes for most of us.

Underneath the Big Buddha was the Sutra Calligraphy Hall; well, my handwriting is ugly, not acquainted with calligraphy, and I am not known to be patient. So, let's check out other stuff instead.

Mansjuri Pagoda - also known as the Stupa of Wisdom and honoring the Manjusri Bodhisattva. According to the information panel, courtesy from the little monk's statue, ignorance and afflictive emotions can "be severed through Mansjuri's great wisdom".

Avalokitesvara Pagoda - the Stupa of Compassion and honoring the Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva. Sometimes I find it hard to understand the meaning of Buddhism teaching.... As per panel, "suffering expounded in the first noble truth can be eliminated with the great compassion of Avalokitesvara". Well, Avalokitesvara is actually Guanyin, the Goddess of Mercy.

p.s. Alex is not religious.

Bet he was just asking for directions.

Wishing cards; some people may find this pointless but I do think it gives hopes to the individuals, like when things are not looking well for them. For example, "I wish for more direction in life".

The tiered pyramid structure

Would love to climb up but can't.

Bird's eye view of the 450-meter long stretch comprising of Bodhi Wisdom Concourse and the Great Path to Buddhahood, and a close-up view of the Front Hall from another angle.

Last look of the Big Buddha before leaving.

We wanted to have a look at the Buddha's Relic yet luck wasn't on our side as it was closed for an hour! Another over 30 minutes to go but my tummy was already rumbling as it was already 1.30pm!

Exterior perimeter which most people wouldn't bother going to.

This sculpture looked so out of place! The kid on the buffalo appeared to be clueless as he/she steered his/her buffalo to the monastery grounds. He/she "needs some directions" for sure.

Back to the Front Hall where we indulged in some souvenir shopping! Gosh, it's like a journey down memory lane, when I was at Hokkaido Shrine, where I spent much time on choosing the numerous Japanese amulets!

As mentioned earlier, my tummy badly needed some replenishments and this counter, with a capybara dressed in a Buddhist priest attire, caught my attention.

Got a "thousand layer egg tart" for NT$75 (not cheap). Not exactly to my liking even though it was sufficient to tame the hunger monster in me.

Out of Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum (Buddha Mountain) after slightly more than three hours! And we had yet to even touch on the other two mountains; Dharma Mountain and Sangah Mountain (location of main monastery)! Will definitely be back, and maybe stay a night within monastery grounds, and indulge in vegetarian meals.

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