Today we visited Zuoying Yuandi Temple, which sits right by the edge of Lotus Pond in Kaohsiung. The first thing I saw was massive statue of Xuantian Shangdi. It towers above the temple, with his foot resting on a snake and turtle. Even though I wasn’t familiar with the god before, the imagery alone made it clear that he’s a powerful figure. Walking up to the temple, I noticed the detail in the architecture of dragons curled around the beams and the now familiar smell of incense within the building. Compared to other temples we’ve visited, this one felt especially majestic, probably because of its lakeside location and the scale of everything.
In one part of the outside area, there was a large group of several birds, including chickens! It was such a surprising and oddly endearing contrast: this majestic, sacred space, with incense burning and golden dragons carved into every corner, and then chickens strutting confidently around like they owned the place. There were two or three roosters in particular that seemed to be on a mission, yelling “cock-a-doodle-doo!” at each other every 10 seconds. It gave the temple a lived-in, almost rural feeling, like nature and daily life just coexist here without anyone questioning it.
The area around the temple was calm despite being in the city. We took some time to walk along the edge of Lotus Pond and passed other temples and pagodas along the way. There were cyclists, families, and even a couple of street vendors selling snacks. Being there made me think about how spiritual life in Taiwan is deeply woven into everyday spaces—you can be out for a casual walk and just happen to end up somewhere sacred.
It was also one of those rare moments where I didn’t feel rushed. Just sitting on a bench, looking at the temple reflected in the water, I felt really at peace. I still don’t fully understand all the rituals (I’m getting there), but I definitely felt the energy of the space.
In the evening, we decided to catch the sunset at Sizihwan Beach. From our hotel in Kaohsiung, we walked to the nearest MRT station and took the Orange Line to Hamasen Station. The ride was quick and convenient, taking about 6 minutes from Formosa Boulevard Station. After exiting the station, we strolled through the Gushan District, passing by local shops and the campus of National Sun Yat-sen University. The walk was pleasant until we got a bit lost—we got to the seaside area but were blocked off from the beach by walls and a busy road! We spent around 20 minutes trying to look for the entrance only to find out there was no entry and no swimming allowed. We kept going though because we saw at least a hundred or so people near the water. To our delight, we realized that no one cared about the rules and jumped over the shorter part of the wall separating the parking lot from the beach to get to the water. Plus, there were a few people in the water, too! We made our way to beach covered in soft black sand and just barely made it to see the huge red sun set over the water. We were worried that the water would be freezing, especially now that it’s almost nighttime, but were pleasantly surprised when we took our first steps in the water when we were met with lovely and warm “bath-water” temperature as someone put it.
For about an hour, we swam and played in the water and took some fun pictures with the beautiful scenery behind us. Once it got dark, we took our time walking back, enjoying the cool evening air and the peaceful ambiance of the area. This beach trip is definitely going to be one of my favorite memories from Taiwan!
I love your exciting adventure, though I was concerned about your safety, but apparently you all returned safe and sound. I wish I could see some photos you have taken; if not, no worries!