Tianliao Stone Temple

Located in the Tianliao District of Kaohsiung, the Stone Temple enshrines Guanshiyin Buddha as the primary deity and is noted for its quirky architecture and vegan restaurant where diners themselves decide the value of their purchase.

Before the temple was put up, the abbot took in a number of jobless foreign workers and sheltered them, who later decided to help build the temple in order to repay his generosity and kindness. There was no construction plan. All they did was to follow the instruction of Guanshiyin Buddha and built the temple brick by brick. The whole process took twelve years. Today, the temple is divided into the front hall, the rear hall and a museum to the south. The Stone Temple derived its name from the rear hall, built of stone and shells, giving an impression of a sea world palace. The museum is home to a collection of household objects and craft from the early days. The popular vegan restaurant serves buffet meals with good choice of dishes, but items available depend on food offerings from worshippers accepted on the day.