Longshan Temple, Taipei (must see)

Longshan Temple is one of Taipei’s oldest and most important religious landmarks, deeply rooted in the city’s early history and everyday spiritual life. Originally constructed in 1738 by settlers from Fujian Province during the Qing dynasty, the temple was built as a place of worship for Chinese immigrants who had settled in the Bangka area, today’s Wanhua District.

As soon as you pass through the gate facing the street, you will be met by a broad courtyard. It leads you straight ahead to the Front Hall. Step onto its porch, and you'll notice it is flanked by two bronze pillars. They are intricately cast with spiralling dragons and characters from the Ming Dynasty novel Investiture of the Gods. Most temples in Taiwan feature stone pillars; Longshan is the only temple in the country with pillars cast in bronze. If you look ten metres to your right and left, you will see one gate on each side. They might look similar, but according to Taiwanese etiquette, you should always enter through the gate on the right (called the Dragon Gate) and exit through the gate on the left (called the Tiger Gate). Entering through the mouth of the dragon and leaving through the mouth of the tiger symbolises turning bad luck into good fortune.

The temple's architecture follows traditional southern Chinese temple design, with ornate roofs, carved stone pillars, and richly decorated courtyards. The temple’s vivid colours and decorative details immediately stand out, with dragons appearing throughout the complex-an apt motif, as the temple’s name translates to “Dragon Mountain.”

However, the soul of the temple is the miraculous Guanyin statue. To find it, walk into the main courtyard and look toward the central hall. During a World War II Allied air raid on May 31, 1945, a bomb hit this hall, and the entire structure burned to the ground. Miraculously, the wooden Guanyin statue sitting at the centre was found completely unscorched among the ash. To see the statue at its best, wait for a gap in the crowds of chanting worshippers and look through the central doorway.

Decoration plays an important role in the temple’s atmosphere, especially during festivals. During Lunar New Year, lanterns fill the courtyards, and flowers are abundant throughout the grounds. Among the many altars, one of the most popular is dedicated to Yue Lao, the god revered as a matchmaker. Walk past the Main Hall to the very back row of altars. Follow the corridor to the westernmost altar. Single residents of Taipei often visit this altar to pray for lasting love, taking a symbolic red string meant to be tied around their future partner’s wrist.

Outside the temple, food stalls and a nearby underground mall selling Buddhist merchandise add to the experience.