Kaisan Temple Introduction
Located along the route from the Visitor Center to Lingyun Temple, this serene and elegant environment features a stone-built two-story ancient structure, established by Master Benyuan in 1925 (the 14th year of the Republic of China) as a retreat for monks to practice and pass on Buddhist teachings. The two-story building is primarily constructed from stones from Guanyin Mountain, with a dome shape that may be modeled after ancient Indian Buddhist architecture. Its square structure resembles a European-style villa, while the second-floor window sills are entirely arched, showcasing a blend of Minnan-style Chinese architecture and Western architectural elements. This small temple's design reflects the deep influence of Japanese Westernization in the architectural style at the time of its construction. Inside the temple, there is a vivid stone sculpture of a Buddha holding a begging bowl, with the name "Huashan Temple Dharma Emperor" engraved on its base. In 1926 (the 15th year of the Taisho era), Japanese believers from the Kansai area donated 33 stone-carved Guanyin statues, establishing the Taipei Western Guanyin Pilgrimage Site on Guanyin Mountain, which represents the 33 manifestations of Guanyin Bodhisattva in the human realm, encompassing various forms such as male, female, old, and young. Following the tradition of Japan's "Saikokusan-jusan," an additional statue of a high monk clad in a robe and holding a bowl was included, symbolizing the advocacy of the "Thirty-Three Places" faith by the monk Huashan Dharma Emperor. The Kaishan Temple is not far from the Lưng Yan Pavilion, both of which are places for promoting Dharma and meditation, hence referred to as "Mother and Child Temple." Currently, it is privately owned by the temple and is not open to the public.
