Jian Qingxiu College Introduction
Playful Strategy - Designated Historic Site in Hualien County - Currently the best-preserved Japanese-style temple in Taiwan - Admire the eighty-eight stone Buddhas from Shikoku, Japan - Must-see Buddhist hall built using the traditional Japanese architectural style "Hōkyōzō". Public transport click here >>> Taiwan Tourist Shuttle - Zonggu Hualien Line Information (Timetable / Fare Table) Barrier-free bus reservation >>> Taiwan Tourist Shuttle Barrier-free Reservation Information. The tranquil water pavilion and the serene Buddhist hall, the solemn eighty-eight stone Buddhas, and the Zen-like dry landscape create an atmosphere reminiscent of a Japanese temple, drawing one into a tranquil and peaceful environment. This is the JI-An Qingxi Academy, established during the Japanese colonial period by Kawabata Manji as a mission site to comfort immigrants. It is a designated Level 3 historic site in Hualien County and is currently the best-preserved Japanese-style temple in Taiwan. Spiritual solace and the eighty-eight stone Buddhas. During the Japanese colonial period, Ji-An was known as Yoshino, a famous immigrant village in Hualien. In the sixth year of Taisho (1917), Kawabata Manji funded the construction of the "Shingon Sect Kōyasan Yoshino Mission", hoping to use the power of religion to soothe the homesickness of Japanese immigrants in Yoshino (Ji-An). Inside the temple, the stone Buddhas are arranged in order, said to follow the legacy of the founder of Shingon Buddhism, Kūkai, who traversed Shikoku Island in Japan to bring back the eighty-eight stone Buddhas, allowing residents to seek spiritual solace. Entering a time tunnel to the Edo period, after the restoration of Taiwan, the Yoshino Mission was renamed Qingxi Academy. The surrounding environment is serene, and it still preserves the immovable Myōō stone carvings, Baidu stones, and the Hōkyōzō-roofed Buddhist hall. The Qingxi Academy, which has witnessed the passage of time, carries a sense of historical gravitas with its buildings in traditional Japanese architectural styles, lush gardens, and dry landscapes, making time seem to stand still as if stepping into a time tunnel to the Edo period in Japan, allowing one to feel the rich history of the former mission site.
