Travel Date: 2023/07/16
We were staying in Yunlin for the weekend, but early Sunday morning, my parents-in-law had to go somewhere, so we decided to head back home as well. However, I had the idea to make a stop in Changhua to revisit two temples we had explored a few years ago: the Shell Temple and the Glass Temple. Fortunately, they were located close to each other, just a few minutes' drive away.
It's not our first time in this place. We visited the temple 5 years ago.
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My husband mentioned that he wasn't feeling too well, probably just overheated, and wanted to stay indoors. He waited for me at the Glass Gallery while Adrian and I took a walk around the glass temple. There is a quite large car parking area behind the glass gallery, so driving there was not a problem. In the surrounding area, you can also visit other places such as the Ribbon Museum or Brand's Health Museum. Additionally, Lukang Ton is not far away, where you can explore the old street and try the delicious foods of Changhua.
Unfortunately, my husband's health worsened, and we had to end our trip there. Later, after returning home, we found out that he had contracted COVID-19 and was unwell for the next 2 days...
See also: Lukang Old Street
See also: Shell Temple in Changhua
Glass Temple - Husheng Temple (玻璃媽祖廟 - 台灣護聖宮)
The Glass Mazu Temple is located in Changhua Coastal Industrial Park in Lukang and it belongs to the Taiwan Glass, a prominent glass manufacturing company. The Temple showcases the beauty of Taiwan's glass art. In front of the temple, you can see numerous colorful glass balls covering the ground. We also visited the glass gallery, which was filled with beautifully crafted sculptures. It's definitely worth a visit.
The construction of the temple began in 2007 and was completed on March 31, 2012. The Temple was inspired by appearance of Lukang Tianhou Temple during the Qing Dynasty.
The chairman of Taiwan Glass, Lin Zhao-sui, who has a background in both glass expertise and religious beliefs, was the driving force behind the construction. The project involved a team of architects, designers, artists, scholars, and over 130 glass industry companies who collaborated to create this unique and stunning glass temple.
It combines the glass industry with folk religion. During the day, sunlight shines through the glass, creating a bright and transparent space with infinite beauty. At night, the temple is adorned with over 100,000 LED lights, creating a dazzling and magnificent sight. It's not just a decorative temple, you can still use incense to pray, and there is a table for offerings.
The temple's main structure is made of steel, and the outer walls are made of curtain glass, which can withstand strong winds of up to level 17 and earthquakes up to level 8. The "swallowtail" part of the roof is also made of glass, demonstrating smooth curves and an impressive posture that seems to reach into the sky. The main structure of the temple is composed of at least 70,000 pieces of glass.
The temple's entrance gate is made of two layers of reinforced glass, making it comparable to bulletproof glass. The door gods are intricately carved glass sculptures, and other glass carvings include patterns of fiddler crabs, sea cows, and other elements of Taiwan's local culture.
Inside the temple, there are glass carvings of "Dragon Soaring over Sun Moon Lake" on the right side and "Tiger Leaping over Alishan" on the left side, corresponding to the "Dragon Gate" and "Tiger Gate" respectively. The dragons on the two pillars in front of the temple are made of over a thousand bright mirrors, breaking away from the traditional practice of stone carving or painted wood pillars in temples.
There are 160 dragon heads on the ceiling, along with phoenixes on both sides. All of these decorations were handcrafted by artists from Lukang.
The glass behind the altar was handmade by local artists and took two years to complete.
During the daytime, the temple looks beautiful, but its real beauty shines at night when it is illuminated with colorful lights. Although we didn't stay for long, a friendly temple guard shared some pictures with me.
Inside of temple you can see a water pool where people would through coins for a good luck. The sunlight coming through walls and roof makes it look majestic.
Entrance: Free
Opening Hours:
April to September: 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM
October to March: 6:00 AM to 9:00 PM
Parking Lot: Taiwan Glass Gallery Parking Lot
The "Taiwan Glass Pavilion," established by Taiwan Glass Corporation, provides a venue for Taiwanese local artists to exhibit their artworks free of charge. Besides showcasing glass art, it presents a creative and dazzling experience to the general public with the concept of "Brilliance from All Sides, Surprises in Every Direction." The pavilion adopts an entertaining and educational approach, allowing visitors to have a "zero-distance alternative encounter" with glass. It breaks the traditional stereotypes of the glass industry, offering a refreshing perspective and deepening the public's understanding of the transparent and exquisite world of glass.
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