The Kaohsiung Confucius Temple (aka Qishan Confucius Temple) is the largest Confucius Temple in Taiwan. It was built over the former Qishan Shinto Shrine. Today it is an important place for Confucian learning and a popular tourist attraction in former Kaohsiung County.
Historical Background: The Kaohsiung Confucius Temple was completed in 1985 over the ruins of the former Qishan Shinto Shrine. Covering an area over 4 hectares, it is the largest Confucius Temple in Southeast Asia, if you count Taiwan as Southeast Asia. The Qishan Shinto Shrine was built in Gushan Park in 1936. It was later destroyed by the KMT after the Japanese left Taiwan after WWII. Parts of the original Shinto Shrine can be found around the park. Qishan's Confucius Temple is not the only Confucius temple in Taiwan. There is another one in Zuoying, so the temples trade years for annual Kaohsiung Confucius ceremonies. Hours: 9 AM to 5 PM (closed on Mondays) Price: Free Accommodation We have stayed at and recommend Chao She Hotel (you can book on Agoda here, Booking.com here, Hotels.com here, or Expedia here) IHI Sanduo Travel Hotel (you can book on Agoda here, Booking.com here, Hotels.com here, or Expedia here), and Mingli Hotel (you can book on Agoda here, Klook here, or Hotels.com here) which are three inexpensive and high quality choices in downtown Kaohsiung. I also have stayed at and recommend Kaohsiung Meinong Rabbit Paul Homestay B&B (you can book on Agoda here, Booking.com here, or Trip.com here), a quiet B&B in rural Meinong, and Chengching Lakeside Resort (you can book on Agoda here, Booking.com or Trip.com here)and the Grand Hotel Kaohsiung (you can book on Agoda here, Booking.com here, Hotels.com here, or Expedia here) which both offer breakfast buffet and free entrance into Chenqing Lake Park. I have also stayed at the 85 sky tower which offers great views of the city; you can search for rooms in the 85 sky tower on Agoda here, Booking.com here, Hotels.com here, Expedia here, or Trip.com here). Find out more about where to stay in our Taiwan hotels guide or search for the best hotel deals in Taiwan here. We recommend booking through Agoda here, which provides the best quality selection of accommodation on the islands. You can also book Wifi and SIM cards for Taiwan on Gigago here. Need travel insurance? Compare prices on Insubuy here. Tours: You can find more tours and activities in Kaohsiung such as Pier 2, Meinong Hakka Museum, Hamasen Railway Museum, Suzuka Circuit Park, i-Ride Kaohsiung Visual 5D Flying Theater, National Science and Technology Museum , Senya Village Restaruant, Austin Land, Ski School Indoor Ski Slope, and many more on Klook here or KKday here. Just to let you know, if you book using the links above, we get some commission at no cost to you, and you can help support our blog. You can click here to receive $5 USD on your first Klook purchase. How to get there: By Car/Scooter: Kaohsiung, take National Highway 10 or provincial highway 28 to Qishan. The temple is on the top of the hill near the center of town. Looking for scooter rental in Kaohsiung? You can check out Klook here or KKday here to search for options. You can check also out our scooter rental guide here. If you are looking for car rentals, you can search Qeeq here, KKday here, or Klook here. You can also check out our car rental guide here. By Bus: From Zuyping HSR station, you can take the E01A bus to Qishan. It's about a 20 minute walk from the Qishan Bus Station. You can book tickets to travel to Kaohsiung via inter-city bus on Klook here. You can book tickets to Kaohsiung via high speed rail (HSR) on Klook here or KKDay here. Book tickets via the normal train (TRA) on Klook here. You can also book a Kaohsiung Travel pass here. Map: Please see below: Our Journey: I have been to the Qishan Confucius temple three times. It's a nice place to relax and enjoy the views of Qishan. It is also one of the largest Confucius temples in Taiwan.
Check out our drone video above for an overview of the area.
Or check out the 360 degree spherical panorama above. If you scroll a bit back to the city, you can see a DPP rally going on. This was taken in late 2019.
View from the front steps of the temple. From the parking lot, you can see some great views of downtown Qishan.
View through the first gate.
Traditionally forbidden city style architecture. This whole place is like a mini forbidden city.
Red pillars outside the main courtyard.
The main worship hall.
View from above via drone.
Dragon design in the center.
The main shrine in the temple, with is spirit tablet for confucious.
A man praying in front of more spirit tablets.
Looking back into the main courtyard.
Once you are done touring the temple, be sure to check out Qishan Old Street down below.
For another in depth look at this place, check out this blog by Josh Ellis. You can find more tours and activities in Kaohsiung such as wake boarding, water skiing, SUP paddle boarding, Pier 2, i-Ride Kaohsiung Visual 5D Flying Theater, Ski School Indoor Ski Slope, and more on Klook here or KKday here. You can check out our full travel guide to Kaohsiung here. You can also check out our full travel guide to Taiwan here.
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Author 作家I am an American expat who has extensive experience living, working, and traveling in Taiwan. In my day, I had to learn many things about Taiwan the hard way. But I have come to learn that Taiwan is one of the best places in the world for Foreigners to live. This blog does not represent the opinions of every foreigner in Taiwan. I am just trying to help others learn more about this beautiful country. Categories
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