Taiwan Kaohsiung Trip Part 8: Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum

台湾 高雄 佛光山佛陀紀念館 アイキャッチ画像

[Introduction]

I traveled to Kaohsiung, the second largest city in Taiwan for five days and four nights in the middle of September. I was impressed by Taiwan when I visited Taipei at the end of April, and I revisited Taiwan in less than a half year. I had some difficulties in gathering information compared to Taipei, but I found there were lots of things to do in Kaohsiung as well. In this article, I will write about Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum as part of Day 3.

[Visit Places (series of articles)]
* Day 1: Formosa Boulevard Station
* Day 1: 85 Sky Tower and Singuang Ferry Wharf
* Day 1: Singuang Ferry Wharf (Light-up) and Liuhe Night Market
* Day 2: Cijin island
* Day 2: Former British Consulate and Shoushan LOVE Valentine’s Lookout
* Day 2: Pier-2 Art Center
* Day 2: Love River (Light-up)
* Day 3: Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum [This article]
* Day 3: Lotus Pond
* Day 3: Taroko Park (Light-up)
* Day 4: Taiwan Sugar Museum
* Day 4: Central Park Station (Light-up)
* Day 4-5: Formosa Boulevard Station (Lighting Show) & Return Home

[Travel Date]
2017.09.15-19

[Main Part]

The third day of the Taiwan Kaohsiung trip started. In the morning, I will visit Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum, which is located in the suburb of Kaohsiung city.

Zuoying Station

To begin with, I moved from Kaohsiung Main Station to Zuoying Station, from which buses for Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum are running.Taiwan Kaohsiung station

I arrived at Zuoying Station.Taiwan Zuoying station1

Zuoying Station is also the terminal station of Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR).""

As I had some free time, I walked around the station.""

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The ticket office and the timetable display were quite similar to those of the Shinkansen bullet train in Japan, so I felt a sense of affinity. In the next Taiwan trip, I would like to take Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR) 🙂

I bought bread for breakfast at a bakery in the station.""

It was delicious more than I expected.""

Now it was time to get in the bus for Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum.Taiwan Kaohsiung Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum bus

Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum

It took about 40 minutes to reach Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum.Taiwan Kaohsiung Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum1

Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum is a cultural, religious and educational museum at the head temple of Fo Guang Shan, one of Taiwan’s largest Buddhist organizations.

This is the Front Hall, the entrance of Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum.Taiwan Kaohsiung Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum2

At the both side of the entrance, there were stone lion and elephant.""

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After passing the Front Hall, I headed to the Main Hall.""

Taiwan Kaohsiung Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum3

Now I arrived at the Main Hall.""

The Mail Hall had consisted of three floors and one underground floor and displayed a variety of exhibits related to Buddhism.Taiwan Kaohsiung Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum Exhibit1

He is Hsing Yun, the founder of Fo Guang Shan.Fo Guang Shan Hsing Yun

Here are other snap photos of the Main Hall.Taiwan Kaohsiung Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum Exhibit2

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Taiwan Kaohsiung Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum Exhibit3

Taiwan Kaohsiung Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum Exhibit4

Taiwan Kaohsiung Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum Exhibit5

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Taiwan Kaohsiung Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum Exhibit6

Taiwan Kaohsiung Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum Exhibit7

View from the third floor.""

There were also paintings.""

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I moved outside from the Main Hall.""

There was Fo Guang Big Buddha.Taiwan Kaohsiung Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum4

This Fo Guang Big Buddha was so huge with the height of 48 meters and the weight of 1,800 ton.

Now I will return.""

Taiwan Kaohsiung Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum5

I looked back at the Buddha.Taiwan Kaohsiung Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum6

How beautiful these symmetry pagodas were.Taiwan Kaohsiung Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum7

I looked back again to take a photos of the Buddha with eight pagodas.Taiwan Kaohsiung Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum8

Now I returned to the Front Hall.""

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There were several restaurants in Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum and I visited a buffet style restaurant in the Front Hall.""

I had a buffet lunch there.Taiwan Kaohsiung Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum buffet

Then, I returned to Zuoying station to move to the next destination.Taiwan Kaohsiung Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum9

[Closing]

That’s it for the article about Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum as part of Day 3 of my Taiwan Kaohsiung trip.

Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum is a facility full of entertainment and something like a Buddhist theme park. Although the name of Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum may give a stiff impression, visitors are able to enjoy the museum regardless of their religion 🙂

In the next article, I will write about Lotus Pond as part of Day 3.

[Map]

1 Kaohsiung Main Station
2 Zuoying Station
3 Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum

[Related Link]
Kaohsiung Travel
Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum

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4 Comments

  1. Hi Kosu,

    I am planning on being at Kaohsiung for two days and going to the places you went on Day 2 & 3 of your trip! Thank you for your post. How much time did you spend at Fo Guang Shan and how was the vegetarian buffet? I was planning one day for (Fo Guang Shan, Lotus Pond, Love River, Ruifeng Market) and other day (Pier-2, Takao Museum, Cijin Island, Tarako Park, Singuang Wharf, etc.) or should I switch up some parts?

    Thanks,
    Simon

    1. Hi Simon,

      Thank you for your comment. I spent about 3 hours at Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum and it was enough for me. Regaring the vegetarian buffet, it was so-so, honestly speaking, but it was less expensive compared with another fancy restaurant in the same building.

      As for your itinerary, overall I think it should be OK, as it covers most of the major tourist spots in Kaohsiung. If you have a chance, I would recommend you stop by Formosa Boulevard station as its art work (Dome of Light) is very attractive 🙂

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