Kaohsiung Confucius Temple, Kaohsiung

The Kaohsiung Confucius Temple, located on the northwestern shore of Lotus Lake, is the largest Confucian temple in Taiwan. Originally built in 1684 during the Qing Dynasty and later reconstructed in the 1970s, the current structure was modeled after the Song Dynasty鈥檚 Confucian temples, particularly the Shandong Qufu Confucius Temple, the philosopher鈥檚 birthplace. With its elegant symmetry, sweeping tiled roofs, and solemn courtyards, the temple stands as a dignified tribute to Confucian ideals of education, virtue, and social order.

Visitors enter through the imposing Lingxing Gate, followed by a sequence of serene courtyards leading to the Dacheng Hall, the temple鈥檚 central building. This grand hall enshrines Confucius and other important philosophers, with ceremonial tablets placed upon a raised altar. Stone columns, red walls, and wooden beams are adorned with classical Chinese inscriptions, offering a tranquil setting for contemplation and quiet reverence. While it no longer functions as a religious site in the traditional sense, the temple continues to host rites of passage and annual Confucius birthday ceremonies.

Surrounded by tall trees and scenic views of Lotus Lake, the Kaohsiung Confucius Temple is more than a historical monument-it serves as a peaceful refuge from the urban bustle. Its grounds offer shaded paths, benches, and open courtyards that encourage slow exploration. Informational plaques throughout the site help visitors learn about Confucian thought, traditional architecture, and the temple鈥檚 evolving role in Taiwanese culture.

As part of the larger Lotus Pond cultural area, the temple is easily accessible and pairs well with visits to the nearby Spring and Autumn Pavilions or Dragon and Tiger Pagodas.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Kaohsiung. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "911爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Create Your Own Self-Guided Walk to Visit This Sight

Sight Name: Kaohsiung Confucius Temple
Sight Location: Kaohsiung, Taiwan (See walking tours in Kaohsiung)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Lotus Pond Walking Tour

Walking Tours in Kaohsiung, Taiwan

Create Your Own Walk in Kaohsiung

Creating your own self-guided walk in Kaohsiung is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.

Lotus Pond Walking Tour

They say that once, on a quiet day by Kaohsiung鈥檚 Lotus Pond, the Goddess of Mercy appeared in the clouds, riding a dragon above the water. The vision so impressed locals that they built temples and shrines to honor her presence.

That is only one of the reasons why Lotus Pond is today one of southern Taiwan鈥檚 most photographed landmarks. Created in 1951, the pond was envisioned both as a... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.5 Km or 2.2 Miles

Kaohsiung Introduction Walking Tour

Kaohsiung didn鈥檛 start as Taiwan鈥檚 southern powerhouse. Its first name, 鈥淭akau,鈥� came from the Makatau people, who lived off fishing, hunting, and small-scale farming in a land once described simply as a bamboo forest. Chinese settlers under the Ming and Qing dynasties kept the name, bending the pronunciation to their tongues. Then in 1895, Japan claimed Taiwan and gave the place a new... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.4 Km or 2.7 Miles

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