Linji Huiguo Zen Temple Introduction
Linji Huguo Zen Temple is an extension of the Huguo Temple of the Linji School located in Nanshan during the Japanese occupation era. Its mountain gate and the Main Hall are typical architectural styles of Japanese Edo period temples. Linji Huguo Zen Temple was founded in 1900 and completed in 1911 by Japanese monk Master An Kanshū, who was invited to Taiwan by the fourth governor-general of Taiwan, Kodama Gentarō, to promote Buddhism. The Linji School is a separate sect of Buddhism from the Soto school. The temple is situated by the mountains and the water, with the nearby Keelung River winding through. The temple occupies a large area with a grand layout, originally including the mountain gate, Dharma Hall, Main Hall, and affiliated Abbot’s Hall. To this day, the Main Hall is well preserved, featuring a wooden structure in the hip-and-gabled style. The mountain gate is built in the style of the Japanese Edo period. Additionally, the large grinding stone in front of the temple and the ancestral tomb behind the temple, along with stone-carved Buddha statues, also hold historical and cultural significance. Due to its historical, cultural, and artistic value, Linji Huguo Zen Temple was designated as a municipal historic site in accordance with the Cultural Heritage Preservation Act in 1998. (Source: Taipei City Government Department of Cultural Affairs)
