Lingji Huguo Zen Temple Introduction
Linji Temple of Protecting the Nation is an extension of the Nanshan Temple of the Linji School during the Japanese colonial period. Its mountain gate and Mahavira Hall are typical architectural styles of Buddhist temples from the Edo period in Japan. Linji Temple was founded in 1900 and completed in 1911 by the Japanese monk Master Genju An, who was invited by the fourth Governor-General of Taiwan, Gotō Shinpei, to come to Taiwan to propagate Buddhism. The Linji School is a branch of Buddhism distinct from the Soto School. The temple is located by the mountains and rivers, with the Keelung River winding nearby. It covers a considerable area with a grand layout, originally including the mountain gate, Dharma hall, Mahavira Hall, and associated abbot's hall. To this day, the Mahavira Hall is well preserved and is entirely a wooden structure in a hip-and-gable roof style. The mountain gate's architecture reflects the Japanese Edo period style. Additionally, the large grinding stone in front of the temple and the ancestral tomb of the founder behind the temple, along with stone-carved Buddha statues, also hold historical and cultural significance. Due to its historical, cultural, and artistic value, Linji Temple was designated as a city-level historic site in 1998 in accordance with the Cultural Heritage Preservation Act. (Source: Taipei City Government Cultural Affairs Bureau)
