Fo Guang Shan Nan Ping Temple

TAIWAN, Kaohsiung

Nan Ping Temple is a branch of Fo Guang Shan and is located in the Zuoying district near downtown Kaohsiung. It was constructed between 2000 and 2008. The temple represents a fusion of the modern and traditional.
The temple occupies 2,650 sq m and consists of 10 stories with 3 basement levels. The exterior of the building is covered with over 6,000 seated Buddhas, a design inspired by Buddhist caves. The first story is occupied by a tea house, while the second story contains the meditation hall and the Fo Guang Shan Open University. Guest rooms are located on the third and fourth stories, while the fifth consists of reception rooms and a conference hall that holds 250 people. An art gallery occupies the sixth story and the seventh story houses a dining hall. The Great Hero Hall occupies the eighth and ninth stories. The Infinite Treasure Hall is located on the tenth story.
The Great Hero Hall houses a statue of Sakyamuni Buddha with hands forming the bhumisparsa (earth-touching) mudra. The Diamond Sutra is engraved in seal script and illuminated on the wall behind the statue. There are apsaras and lotuses carved into the top of the walls on both sides, together with other reliefs. The mezzanine of the hall has seats for over 300 people. Lighting, sound systems, and stage design are state-of-the-art, and a key aspect of the temple’s integration of tradition with modernity.
The Infinite Treasure Hall houses a statue of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva. The walls are painted with images of the Thirty-Three Manifestations of Avalokitesvara by artist Shi Jinhui. The Open University aims to provide spiritual nourishment for contemporary people by organizing Buddhist classes, as well as art and cultural courses.