Zhongzheng Park is located on the slopes of Dashawan Mountain, to the east of Keelung City. The park is renowned for its striking 25 meter tall white statue of the Goddess of Mercy, which has become an iconic feature of Keelung.
The park offers panoramic views of Keelung City and the harbor and is organized into three levels. The first level features a historic cannon fort. The second level houses a Buddhist library, the Martyrs' Shrine, and the Zhuputan Temple. The temple attracts numerous worshipers on the 15th day of the 7th lunar month for Zhongyuan Ghost Festival. The third level is home to the Guanhai Pavilion, where visitors can enjoy a sweeping view of Keelung and the ocean.
The Goddess of Mercy statue is the park's most prominent landmark and is the largest of its kind in Southeast Asia. Inside the statue, a stairway leads to the top, providing a stunning vantage point. The Zhuputan Temple, a focal point for worshipers during the Zhongyuan Ghost Festival, was originally established...
Songshan Feng-Tian Temple, also known as the Temple of Heaven, stands as one of the most important Taoist temples in Taipei, located in the Xinyi District near the iconic Four Beasts Mountains.
Dedicated primarily to the Jade Emperor, the temple has grown into a sprawling complex that serves as both a major religious center and a community landmark, blending ornate traditional southern Chinese architecture with vibrant cultural significance.
The temple’s origins date back to the Tongzhi era of the Qing Dynasty around the 1860s, when a Chinese immigrant from Tangshan settled in a cave on Tiger Mountain and began worshiping the Jade Emperor by hanging a red silk banner and placing a stone incense burner. Local residents gradually joined the daily rituals, establishing a simple devotional site.
During the Japanese colonial period, the cave was repurposed as an air-raid shelter amid policies that suppressed traditional religious practices.
After Taiwan’s retrocession, local gentry and elders raised ...
Songshan Ciyou Temple
This temple, built in the mid-18th century, is the cradle of development of the Songshan district. The story goes that a monk once roamed this area, carrying a gilded image of Mazu, Goddess of the Sea, as he begged for alms. One day at Xikou—the old name for this district—the monk came upon a number of people, all Mazu believers, from his old home. Together they planned construction of a temple to honor the goddess, and after raising funds for more than 10 years they were able to realize their dream. Construction started in 1753 and was completed in 1757.
The top of the temple roof is richly ornamented; in addition to human figures, there is also a flying dragon placed there because dragons were believed to have the power to prevent fires.
Inside the temple are layer after layer of oil lamps lighted by devotees in the hope that Mazu will grant their wishes. The side altar to the right of the Mazu image enshrines the Earth God, who is protected on either side by ...
The Tamsui Old Street 淡水老街 is a street in Tamsui District, New Taipei, Taiwan.
Tamsui Old Street, also known as Danshui Old Street, is a pedestrian zone located in the Tamsui District, near the red line MRT station of the same name.
It is a boardwalk-like area by the riverfront filled with shops, carnival games, restaurants, cafés, and local snacks. The street is accessible within walking distance from Tamsui Station of Taipei Metro.
While the exact street designated as “Old Street” is not clearly marked, the area collectively referred to as “Tamsui Old Street” includes multiple streets and alleys around the MRT station and river, with lots of shops and food stalls.
The shops generally open in the afternoon and stay open until midnight, offering a variety of local delicacies such as A-gei, iron eggs, and fried squid.
The whole area is fun to see. You can walk along the river, shop for local foods or explore some of the historic sites in the area. A place you should visit if ...
