Donghe Zen Temple Introduction
Donghe Zen Temple is located outside the East Gate of Taipei, originally called the Soto Zen Main Temple Annex, founded by Japanese monks in 1908. It was designed by the Japanese architect Yoshitaro Irie. In 1916, a Buddhist school was established to educate the children of monks and lay devotees in Buddhist teachings and general knowledge, and in 1935 it was renamed Taipei High School. After the war, it was again renamed Taibei High School. In 1930, a towering bell tower was built in front of the main hall, which still exists today. However, the main hall and other ancient buildings were heavily damaged due to occupation by the military and civilians, and have been demolished in recent years, which is a great pity. The bell tower features a distinctive architecture; although it is a reinforced concrete structure, its details are crafted according to traditional rules. The roof has a single-eave hip design, covered with Japanese black tiles, with ridge tiles placed at the top. Inside the second floor hangs a large bronze bell, and the external protruding railing adds an ethereal quality. The first floor uses rough stone blocks and has arched doorways, resembling a city gate. This is a building style that was popular during the Japanese Momoyama and Edo periods, and by the 20th century, it evolved into modern Japanese-style architecture. (Source: Cultural Heritage Agency, Ministry of Culture)
