island, with drenching rains in the mountains. Daytime temperatures in Taipei are around 33°C (91°F) in summer and 19°C (66°F) in winter, while the southern regions experience warmer winters with daytime highs of around 24°C (75°F). In winter monsoon winds can sweep across the island from Central Asia and cool the air by 10°C (50°F) or more in a matter of hours.
Taiwan: Events
You’ll need to get hold of a lunar calendar if you’re to have any hope of attending Taiwan’s big events – very few of them occur on the same date every year. If fireworks and crowds crank your engine, visit Yenshui, Luerhmen or Beigang for the Lantern Festival, on the 15th day of the first lunar moon (also Pingxi for the release of the sky lanterns – one of the most sublime events of the year). Kuanyin’s Birthday, on the 19th day of the second moon, is a good time to see temple festivities in full swing.
During the Ghost Festival (seventh lunar month), ghosts from hell walk the earth (Keelung has the best festival as various clans compete each year to put on a good spectacle; the old custom of pole climbing has been revived in Toucheng on the coast near Ilan). Matsu’s birthday (23rd day of the third lunar month) is also a huge event: good places to see festivities include Lugang, Beigang and especially Dajia where the week-long Matsu pilgrimage around Taiwan begins and ends. It’s Taiwanese folk religion at its best. National Day (10 October) is celebrated with gusto, fireworks and light shows in various places around Taiwan. Chinese New Year (first day of the first lunar month) is not a good time to visit since many businesses and sights close during this period.
Taiwan: Sights
Chung Tai Chan Temple
Phone tel: Transport taxi Email ctworld@ms16.hinet.net Web www.chungtai.org Keyword religious/spiritual, religious/spiritual Completed in 2001, the massive Chung Tai Chan Temple is more than just another modern temple – it is an international centre of Buddhist academic research, culture and the arts.
The temple is 150m tall and sits on a 60-acre lotus hill outside Puli. It took 10 years and the donations of countless members of the Chung Tai Chan Buddhist community to complete. Chung Tai Chan is an international branch of Buddhism founded by the Venerable Master Wei Chueh – the Master who is said to have revived the Zen tradition in Taiwan.
From the start, the Master was determined to build something grand, something that would appeal to the modern eye as much as the soul. To achieve this, modern technology was embraced rather than shunned. Only top-quality materials and artists, both Taiwanese and foreign, were used during construction. One master craftsman is said to have spent 10 years collecting coloured jade for the delightful 18 Lohan reliefs. Marble from 15 different countries was imported and pure teak used for the seven-storey indoor pagoda. Interestingly, the pagoda was built the old way without metal nails or screws.
Beyond the skilled artwork and engineering, however, the temple exists for those who have an interest, curiosity or passion for Buddhism. Several Westerners live in the temple and teach English to the nuns and monks. It is the responsibility of several of these nuns to give guided tours to any and all visitors.
Unlike some temples, where the emphasis of the tour is on teaching you purely about the religious and ritual aspects of Buddhism, at Chung Tai Chan you can take an historical or cultural tour if that is your interest. In other words, the nuns will help you to understand the statues, motifs and