Travel Date: 2019/07/18
This time, we are traveling in Kaohsiung's Tianliao District. We visited a unique temple known as Tianliao Stone Temple or Ci Xuan Sheng Tian Gong. The temple is constructed using stones and corals, giving it a special appearance that resembles an underwater palace. It is not a large temple, and when we arrived, there were not many visitors except for some older people who spend their time there and sell fruits.
Tianliao Stone Temple (石頭廟)
The construction of Tianliao Stone Temple began in 1973. Its origin can be traced back to the ancient temple Putuo Mountain (Stone Temple). At that time, it was a small temple hidden in the grassy land. Two or three strangers were found in the temple, and the abbot Zheng Yuehua made a generous gesture by inviting them to the temple to drink tea and eat. These people were Thai laborers who had come to Taiwan to work on the South II project. Unfortunately, due to the project's failure, the workers faced difficulties in their lives. The abbot offered shelter to 500 jobless foreign workers in the temple.
The foreign workers were deeply moved by the abbot's kindness and wanted to contribute to the temple. As the temple was preparing to build a new project, the Ptuoshan Stone Temple, they began to help. However, the large number of workers made it difficult for the temple to bear the expenses. Fortunately, with the support and loans from Shifang Dade and Haiming Temple, the construction could continue.
There were no construction plans, the workers simply followed the instructions of Guanshiyin Buddha and their daily inspiration. They worked day and night using stones as building materials. The entire process took 12 years. The Thai workers would be sent back to China within two years, and the temple covered the cost of their return. At that time, the temple still had a debt of more than 20 million yuan. Tailu, a local, expressed his willingness to help the temple and kindly provided assistance.
Currently, the temple is still under construction, and progress is slow due to the lack of funds. The Temple is divided into a front hall, rear hall, and museum. The museum displays household objects and crafts from earlier times. The temple also offers 15 retreats, 15 closed-door houses, and a completed accommodation building, which can accommodate more than 300 people and provide vegetarian meals. The temple door is wide open 24 hours a day, year-round, welcoming visitors to come and pay respects. All fees are accompanied by merit.
The name "Stone Temple" comes from the unique hall built with stones and shells, resembling an underwater palace. Tianliao Stone Temple worships several Taoist gods, but the main deity is the Cundi Bodhisattva (準提菩薩). You'll see her and a multitude of other gold-faced Taoist deities lined up along the colonnaded corridors.
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