Lungshan Temple

From Wiki China org cn

Lungshan Temple, also known as "Taiwan Forbidden City," is an important historic site situated at Zhanghua County.

Construction of the temple began in 1653 by Monk Zhaoshan, with a bronze statue of Avalokitesvara of the Tang Dynasty moved to Lugang from Longshan Temple in the Quanzhou Prefecture. The layout and the structural pattern of the temple modeled after the Wenling Longshan Temple. Skilful craftsmen were invited from Fujian, Guangdong and other provinces to design and build the temple.

The temple has 99 doors altogether. The temple boasts three rows of vividly carved stone dragon columns which are treasured as the "Taiwan Art Hall." Enshrined in the hall proper are Avaloketisvara and 18 arhats, in addition to 500-kg bronze bell cast in 1859 during the Qing Dynasty by craftsmen from Ningbo, Zhejiang Province.