Stone Temple: A Masterpiece by Southeast Asian Migrant Workers
Besides Moon World, Tianliao Stone Temple is another secret place in Tienliao District. Piled up by stones, it’s become a tourist attraction in Kaohsiung in recent years and even reported by Lonely Planet.
Located at the back of the Agongdian Reservoir, Tianliao Stone Temple is the back palace of Wuji Cíxuán Shèngtiān Gōng（無極慈玄聖天宮）, which is called Putuo Mountain as well. Tourists can see direction signs in different colors on the way from Yanchao and wouldn’t miss it.
Built by Wandering Thai Workers
Stone Temple is a summer and winter resort for everyone. Also, mountain climbers in Dagan Mountain often take a break for tea here. On the day of our field visit, we chatted with those mountain climbers as they drank tea and had melon seeds, saying that it was constructed by 500 Thai workers. They initially were hired to build the Formosa Freeway before the contracted ran out of business and fled away.
Without successful negotiations with labor authorities, they wandered in this area. The temple took them in, and they returned for the favor by building a temple with seashells, jades, coral stones. Gaining financial supports from charitable people afterwards, the 500 men went back to Thailand before visa expiration date. Volunteers took on the construction work, and parts of the stone wall leaves unfinished until today.
Guanyin on top of Stone Temple and the Eighteen Arhats in the cave are covered by a box of glass for protection. Pious pilgrims would throw into the box candies, coins, or incense and oil money for safety. Cíxuán Museum on the opposite side is constructed with the style of Stone Temple. While the wall of the corridor outside is a collage of fan shells, nostalgic Taiwanese daily utensils are collected and preserved in the museum.
A Vegetarian Buffet Offered
The temple offers a service of exorcism that helps people pursue good fortune and avoid bad luck. Pilgrims come and worship continuously. There is a dining hall beside the temple, where a 24/7 vegetarian buffet is put out for worshippers. They just make a donation before joining in. Despite only vegetarian cuisine, various and delicious dishes are so popular, especially the signature dish, fried sweet potatoes coated with sugar and flour. It is always eaten up in less than ten minutes.
Business hours：8:00 - 17:00
Address：No. 2-7, Xinxing Rd., Tianliao Dist., Kaohsiung City 823, Taiwan (R.O.C.)