FO GUANG SHAN MONASTERY

This must-see monument of the region is located in Dashu city, an hour's drive northeast of Kaohsiung. Literally "Buddha's Mountain of Light", Fo Guang Shan is the largest Buddhist monastery in Taiwan and among the three largest in the world. It welcomes a million pilgrims and tourists every year, and is also home to 800 monks and nuns. Founded by Hsing-Yun in 1949, an eminent Buddhist master born in mainland China in 1927, the monastery nestles in the heart of the forest and has spectacular architecture: immense sanctuaries, meditation rooms, refectory (1,000 people), libraries, dormitories... make this place one of the first places of pilgrimage on the island. It is also open to tourists who want to enjoy the serenity of the place. They can mingle in the calligraphy and meditation workshops or take the ritual lunch in complete silence. Near the entrance, the largest Buddha on the island (36 m) represents Amitabha Buddha, surrounded by 480 identical statuettes. The main sanctuary contains three identical statues of Buddha (20 m), at different stages of prayer, which are illuminated by thousands of small niches containing Buddhas. Among other things, a museum details the life of the founder of the monastery, Hsing-Yun, and tunnels explain the different stages of the Buddha's life.