Fo Guang Shan

Fo Guang Shan, the largest Buddhist monastery in Taiwan, commands a 36-metre gilded Buddha statue visible from 15 kilometres away. Spanning 30 hectares, it houses 1,200 monks and accommodates 5,000 practitioners in its daily meditation hall. Its museum holds 8,000 sutra scrolls, some dating to the Tang dynasty, and the vegetarian restaurant serves 2,000 meals daily. Faster than the average temple expansion in Taiwan, it added a 10-hectare meditation garden in 2023. The gold leaf on the Buddha's robe used 1.2 kilograms of 23-karat gold, 30% higher purity than typical gilded statues in the region, symbolising artistic excellence.