David on Formosa

Today I visited the Yuandao Guan Yin Temple (緣道觀音廟). It is located outside Danshui (淡水) on the north coast. I decided to visit after seeing a photo the temple. I really liked the simple aesthetic. Most Taiwanese temples are a riot of color and action so it is refreshing to see this temple. I also like the way it makes use of wood, which is more like a Japanese temple.

When I arrived there it was drizzling rain which made it difficult to get any photos without drops of water getting on the lens. The gardens around the temple are beautifully landscaped. There are also many stone statues of Guan Yin and other bodhisattvas. The temple has grand plans to construct a 65 metre tall bronze statue of Guan Yin.

You can get to there by the temple's free bus service. The bus departs from next to the Family Mart convenience store opposite Hongshulin MRT Station (紅樹林捷運站). It takes about twenty minutes to reach the temple.