The Lotus Pond in Zuoying District of Kaohsiung is one of the most beautiful scenic areas in Taiwan. Much of the lake is full of traditional Chinese temples, gardens, and architecture. Because of its size, it cannot be properly appreciated by only going there for one afternoon; there are simply too many things to see and do there. In this blog, we will provide you a detailed virtual tour of the entire lake.
Historical Background: Lotus Pond was originally a small natural pond next to what is now the Zuoying Confucious Temple. Starting from 1686 after the Qing Dynasty captured Taiwan from the Kingdom of Tungming, the pond was gradually expanded for water storage and irrigation purposes. Also, lotus plants were cultivated on the pond, giving it its name. It was known as one of the eight beautiful scenes of Fengshan Old City. It also became a hotbed for temple building, and now over 20 temples stand by the lake. In 1951 the Qiming Temple, Spring and Autumn Pavilions, and Guanwu God Temple were completed. In 1976 the Dragon and Tiger pagodas were completed. In 1978 Wuli Pavilion was completed. Every year over a million visitors come to the park, although these numbers have gone down in recent years due to aging infrastructure and lack of new attractions. It is a haven for retired Taiwanese people to come and relax. Due to its close proximity to the Zuoying Jiucheng TRA station and Zuoying HSR station, it is also a popular attraction for tourists in Kaohsiung. Price: Free Hours: 8 AM - 6 PM (Dragon and Tiger Pagodas) How to Get There: By Car/Scooter: From central Kaohsiung, go north on provincial highway 17 and then turn north on Xinzhuang 1st Road. The pond is on your left and is hard to miss. There is free and paid parking all around the lake. By Train: From the north you can walk to the pond from Zuoying HSR station, or from the south you can walk there from Zuoying Jiucheng TRA Station. Map: Our Journey: I have been to Lotus Pond five times. It is a nice place to relax and go for a bike ride or walka nd enjoy the scenery. The main attraction on the lake that is closest to public transportation is the Dragon and Tiger Pagodas, which are just a short walk from Zuoying Jiucheng TRA station.
Check out our drone video above for an overview of the area.
Around the lake you can find over 20 temples, not including pavilions. It's one of the highest concentrations of temples in Taiwan.
For the rest of the blog, I will introduce the main sights from north to south. 5 Turn Bridge and Confucious Temple 曲橋及孔廟 
At the north side of the pond is a small island with a five turn bridge over to it. On the island is a pavilion and places to relax. It's a really nice place to enjoy the scenery at the Lotus Pond.
Check out our drone video above for an overview of the area.
Or check out the 360 degree spherical panorama above.
Check out more photos of the area in the photo gallery above.
The entrance to the five turn bridge is on the northeast shore. There is also another straight pedestrian bridge connecting to the Kaohsiung Confucious temple, and many boat docks and lotus growing near the shore here. I could not find much informaiton about the bridge or island, but I assume they were built at the same time as the Confucious Temple in the 1970s. From here you can also see the Zhouzai Qingshui Temple (洲仔清水宮) across on the east side of the lake, which also features a God. Xuanwu Emporer Statue and Beijiting Temple 玄天上帝神像及北極亭 
The Xuanwu Emporer Statue in the middle of the lake is the tallest God statue in Southeast Asia, standing at 72 meters. Also his sword is 38.5 meters, and is known as the largest sword in the world. The statue was built in 1951. The statue is made of concrete.
At the other side of the statue you can find the main Taoist temple at the site, the Beijiting Temple.
Check out our drone video above for an overview of the area.
Or check out the 360 degree spherical panorama above.
Check out more photos of the area in the photo gallery above.
Underneath the statue are three enterances into a temple underneath the statue. There is also a small island to the left of the statue. Xuanwu is a Taoist God that is revered throught northern and southeastern China, who has power over the elements and has great fighting power. Wuli Pavilion, the Spring and Autumn Pavilions, and Qiming Temple 五理亭，春秋閣，啓明宮 
Above you can see the Wuli Pavilion in the water, the Spring and Autumn Pavilions in the center, and Qiming Temple in the background.
Qiming Temple, Spring and Autumn Pavilions were completed in 1951, and the Wuli Pavilion was completed in 1978.
Check out our drone video above for an overview of the area.
Or check out the 360 degree spherical panorama above.
Check out more photos of the area in the photo gallery above.
Qiming Temple is also a Taoist temple that dates back to the Japanese era in Taiwan. The Spring and Autumn Pavilions feature two pagodas that are both 8 stories high, and there is also a dragon which you can walk through to get to Wuli Pavilion. Inside the dragon cave are a series of Taoist murals, and the buddhist Goddess Guanyin sits atop the dragon. Wuli Pavilion is a nice place to relax and enjoy the nearby scenery, and features two stories. Dragon and Tiger Pagodas 龍虎塔 
Dragon and Tiger pagodas were completed in 1976 and are connected to the Ciji Temple (慈濟宮) which dates back to 1719. These two pagodas are perhaps the most popular part of the Lotus Pond, and some of the most popular tourist attractions in Kaohsiung.
Check out our drone video above for an overview of the area.
Or check out the 360 degree spherical panorama above.
Check out more photos of the area in the photo gallery above.
Remember to enter the dragon and exit the tiger, so that your bad luck can be turned into good fortune. This place can get pretty croded especially in front of the tiger and dragon heads, and many people want to make poses. Inside the dragon and tiger are a series of Taoist murals, and the tunnels lead to the pagodas behind. 
There are so many beautiful scenes and wildlife to see next to the lake.
If you are lucky, you might even see a lotus flower in bloom.
Little Guishan 小龜山 
Near the drahon and tiger pagodas is Little Guishan, which is just a small hill. It was part of the old city of Fengshan and you can find some of the ruined walls here.
Sadly at the top of the hill there is not much of a view, better to see the view from the pagodas.
View of the dragon and tiger pagodas through the bushes.
If you have time you should also check out the Zuoying Confucious Temple nearby. We will post a blog about this place soon.
Also you should be sure to visit the ruins of the walls and gates of Fengshan Old City.
Places we missed around the Lotus Pond:
Thanks for reading and be sure to stay tuned for more of our blogs on Koahsiung to come!
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Author 作家We are US Expats that have extensive experience living, working, and travelling in Taiwan. In our day, we had to learn many things about Taiwan the hard way. But we have come to learn that Taiwan is one of the best places in the world for Foreigners to live. Our blog does not represent the opinions of every foreigner in Taiwan. We are just trying to help others learn more about this beautiful country. Archives 檔案
January 2021
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