Kaohsiung

Kaohsiung with its 2 million people, has very recently become a city with modern conveniences, transportation, parks and beautiful museums and galleries. At the same time some of the older districts (Zuoying, Yancheng and Cijin) still have historic sights. Japanese domination here from 1895 - 1945 brought a lot of opium but also modernization to trading and the ports. It once again became a busy port in the 1970s.

The Kaohsiung Incident of 1979, was a crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrations that occurred when there was a rise in the middle class and Taiwanese citizens were becoming weary of mainland authority, and were eager for a more democratic society. The event turned into a series of political protests that led to public trials and arrests. It is considered a turning point for pro-democracy groups.

Fo Guang Shan is an international Chinese Mahāyāna Buddhist organization and monastic order based in Taiwan that practices Humanistic Buddhism, placing an emphasis on integrating Buddhist practices into everyday life and shifting the focus of ritual from the dead to the living. We visited the Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum, the largest Buddhist monastery, overlooking the Kaoping River, in Taiwan, built in 1967.

The building of the Main Shrine of the Great Buddha began in 1975. It is 36 meters high and the largest in S.E. Asia. It is surrounded by 480 Buddhas and has its right hand facing up, giving light for those in a dark world, and left hand lowered for receiving people and leading them to the pure land. Under the Buddha is the land of a thousand Buddhas.

The entire area includes is 813,570 square meters inside and has 14,800 Buddhas! In front of the Shrine is the World’s two tallest pagodas, each one is 9 meters high with 72 layers and 7,200 Buddhas. The Buddhist Bell is largest in Taiwan and is made of pure beaten copper, weighs 3.8 metric tons and took 2 years to cast.

In addition, at the Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum we many of the 250,000 buddhas located here:

- Buddha Relic- one of the 3 Tooth Sariras in the World which is placed in the ultimate center of honor above the jade Buddha. It is quite revered and prayed to buy visitors from all over.

- Fu Guang Big Buddha - is the highest point and a Buddha that is so large that it’s head is 3 stories high and its eye is as big as an entire floor of a building. It can be seen forever.

- Thousand Armed Thousand eyed Avalokitesvara Statue -you need to see it to believe it

- Reclining Buddha- is an impressive Buddha shrine made entirely of white jade

- The Golden Buddha in the main hall and is the highest seated Buddha in S.E. Asia. It represents harmony between the different traditions from Thailand made for the Supreme Patriarchs 90th birthday

- The Sulta illustrations on both sides of Jade buddha were made in China totally out of jade stones

- Buddha and 500 arhats at vulture peak- this sculpture made from one piece of camphor wood represents the 5 sravakas who have reached the age of requiring no more learning

- Big Bell – is made in Chinese, Korean and Japanese styles with 52,000 characters of the diamond sultra, bell verse and a four line buddha light verse

- Seated Bodhisattva-with a top knot gazing at the reflection of the moon on the water symbolizing that form is emptiness

- Great compassion Mantra Caisson

It is impossible to describe the dedication, attention to detail and beauty and investment in making this sacred place a unique and spiritual place.Okumaya devam et