How to Visit Fo Guang Shan from Kaohsiung City
Located about 30 km from Kaohsiung lies the Buddhist complex of Fo Guang Shan. This massive religious complex acts as both a spiritual retreat and one of Taiwan’s most popular tourist destinations. Locals and visitors from around the world come to Fo Guang Shan as a peaceful escape, to learn about Buddhism, or just to check out the beautiful complex to include the 108 meter tall Buddha statue. Getting to Go Guang Shan is a simple bus ride away, so if you are wondering how to visit Fo Guang Shan from Kaohsiung City, I’ve outlined all you need to know in this post.
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If visiting Kaohsiung, Taiwan, it is highly recommend to set time aside to visit Fo Guang Shan. Fo Guang Shan is the largest Buddhist monastery in Taiwan and one of Taiwan’s most important religious sites.
The Fo Guang Shan Museum is one of the largest of its kind in the world and is home to so many impressive exhibits and collections.
Between the Front Hall and Fo Guang Shan Museum are eight pagodas that stand tall
To me, one of the most impressive features of Fo Guang Shan is the giant 108 meter tall Buddha statue.
The Fo Guang Shan temple is relatively easy to visit from Kaohsiung by local bus and for the most part visiting the complex is free.
Taking the Bus to Fo Guang Shan from Kaohsiung
The best, cheapest, and easiest way to get to Fo Guang Shan from Kaohsiung is by bus. Taking the local bus was relatively hassle free and so much easier then I expected.
I stayed near Formosa Boulevard Station in Kaohsiung City. I took the red line and got off in 6 stops at Zuoying R16.
When arriving at Zuoying Station, I followed signs to the buses and found the bus stops outside.
There were many bus stops outside, thankfully there were electronic signs listing each us along with the destination, time, and route, below is an example.
I ended up taking the E02 from THSR Zuoying Station to Fo Guang Shan. This us is also called the Harvard Express E02.
The bus ride was about 40 minutes and the cost was very cheap. We paid NTD 61 which is just under $2.
The Harvard Express E02 goes directly to Fo Guang Shan, stopping at Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum and Fo Guang Shan.
To return to Kaohsiung City from Fo Guang Shan, simply walk back to the bus stops you were dropped off at and wait for the return bus. The bus stops had times.
For the latest times for drop off and pick up I recommend looking at the bus schedule here.
To sum it up.
- Take the Red Line to THSR Zuoying Station
- Follow Signs to the Bus Stop area
- Take the Harvard Express E02 directly to Fo Guang Shan
It really is that easy!
What to See and Do at Fo Guang Shan
Front Hall
The Front Hall is the main entrance to the Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum. Upon entering, you’ll notice the lion and her cubs and the elephant on either side of the entrance.
The Front Hall is a more modern building filled with souvenir shops, restaurants, and cafes.
Pagodas
Between the Front Hall and Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum are eight pagodas, four on each side.
Each pagoda is 38 meters tall and serves a different yet unique purpose. The Pagodas are as listed, One Teaching Pagoda, Two Assemblies Pagoda, Three Goodness Pagoda, Four Givings Pagoda, Five Harmonies Pagoda, Six Perfections Pagoda, Seven Admonishments Pagoda, and Eightfold Path Pagoda.
Some of the pagodas were open while others were closed. The few we popped into had various designs and purposes. For instance, one we went in to was set up for weddings.
For a more in depth description on the pagodas, you can read more on the Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum website.
Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum - Main Hall
The Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum is incredible. The museum itself is free to visit, you could easily spend 2 – 3 hours here alone, if not longer.
Within the museum, there are seasonal exhibits and events but also permanent exhibits. You can see the Buddha Tooth Relic, Golden Buddha, Jade Reliefs, Giant Jade Buddha, and so much more.
Take your time exploring the museum, I definitely learned a lot here and had a wonderful experience.
For more information, including exhibits and events, check out the Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum website.
Fo Guang Big Buddha
The giant Buddha statue at Fo Guang Shan is considered to be the largest seated Sakyamuni Buddha statue in Asia.
According to the site, the statue was built in 2011 and is made up of 1,800 tons of copper. The Buddha itself is 40 meters tall, but all together the statue is 108 meters tall.
To me, the Fo Guang Shan Buddha is the highlight of the Fo Guang Shan Museum. It’s amazing how enormous this statue is especially when you walk closer to it. The Buddha statue in the background with the pagodas in front is definitely one of the best pictures you can take at Fo Guang Shan.
Fo Guang Shan Main Shrine
The main shrine that is separate from the Fo Guang Shan Museum is a must when visiting.
According to the Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum website, the The Main Shrine or Mahavira Hall is about 100 ft tall. Three Jewels Buddhas are located here, Sakyamuni Buddha, Amitaha Buddha, and Medicine Buddha. Each Buddha is about 26 ft tall.
The walls inside the Mahavira Hall are full of statues of Sakyamuni Buddha, there are 14,800 smaller statues in total.
We got lucky and a kind lady gave us a tour of the Mahavira Hall.
Shoes are to remain outside when visiting the Mahavira Hall and photos are prohibited inside.
Fo Guang Shan Great Buddha Land
The last attraction we stopped at while visiting Fo Guang Shan, was the Great Buddha Land.
The Great Buddha here is a 36 meter tall statue surrounded by 480 smaller Buddha statues.
Conclusion
The Fo Guang Shan Buddha complex is a must for any Kaohsiung itinerary. Visiting Fo Guang Shan is as easy as taking a direct local bus from Zuoying Station to Fo Guan Shan’s Front Hall. It can take several hours to fully explore this religious site, so take your time. This is truly one of Taiwan’s best gems and I highly recommend a visit to Fo Guang Shan.
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