We decided to visit Kaohsiung after reading an article by Lonely Planet, which ranked it as the 5th best city in the world to visit in 2018. Since it's only a 2-hour drive from our place, we thought it would be a great opportunity to explore and discover what interesting attractions the city has to offer.
Dragon and Tiger Pagodas (龍虎塔)
One of the notable attractions we visited was the Dragon and Tiger Pagodas (龍虎塔), situated on Lotus Lake in Kaohsiung. Lotus Lake (蓮池潭) is a man-made lake that was opened in 1951 in the Zuoying District. The lake is quite large and also features other temples such as the Spring and Autumn Pavilions (春秋閣), Confucius Temple, and Pei Chi Pavilion.
The Dragon and Tiger Pagodas were constructed in 1976 and are affiliated with the Cihji Palace, which is located across the street. The Cihji Palace dates back to the 17th century and served as a military base during the Japanese rule. At that time, the patron saints were relocated to another location. In 1959, the temple construction was completed, and all the sculptures were brought back to the site. In 1974, Baosheng Dadi ordered the construction of the Dragon and Tiger Pagodas, which were completed in two years.
In Chinese culture, the dragon symbolizes strength and power. Dragons are believed to have control over water, including rain and floods. The dragon is also one of the 12 Chinese zodiac signs, and people born in the Year of the Dragon are considered to be smarter and more blessed than others. The tiger, on the other hand, is a symbol of righteousness and harmony and is regarded as the king of all animals.
As you approach the temple, there is a sign instructing visitors to enter through the dragon's mouth and exit through the tiger's mouth. It is believed that entering through the dragon's mouth helps rid one of bad luck and brings an increase in good luck. Inside the temple, you can admire various Buddhist and Taoist paintings.
Due to fatigue from walking and the less-than-ideal weather conditions, my husband started feeling tired. We had parked about 2.5 km away from the Dragon and Tiger Pagodas, making the walk quite challenging. As a result, we decided to skip the other temples around Lotus Lake to avoid exhausting ourselves further. Our only other stop for the day will be Love River. Hopefully, in the future, we will have the chance to return to Kaohsiung and explore more of its attractions.
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