Chung Tai Chan Monastery () is a
Buddhist
Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...
monastery located in
Puli Township,
Nantou County
Nantou County (; Hokkien POJ: ''Lâm-tâu-koān''; Hakka PFS: ''Nàm-thèu-yen'') is the second largest county of Taiwan by area, located in the central part of the country. It is also the only non-coastal county in Taiwan. Its name derives fro ...
,
Taiwan
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the northe ...
. It is the headquarters of
Chung Tai Shan
Chung Tai Shan () is a Taiwan-based international Chan Buddhist monastic order founded by the Ven. Wei Chueh in 1987. The monastery headquarters, Chung Tai Chan Monastery (or Chung Tai Chan Buddhist Temple, 中台禪寺), completed in September ...
, an international
Chan Buddhist
Chan (; of ), from Sanskrit '' dhyāna'' (meaning "meditation" or "meditative state"), is a Chinese school of Mahāyāna Buddhism. It developed in China from the 6th century CE onwards, becoming especially popular during the Tang and S ...
order. It is the tallest and one of the largest
monasteries
A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone ( hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer whic ...
in both Taiwan and the world, having a height of . Widely admired as an architectural masterpiece because of the mountain monastery's more modern look, the temple is second only to
Fo Guang Shan
Fo Guang Shan (FGS) () is an international Chinese Mahāyāna Buddhist organization and monastic order based in Taiwan that practices Humanistic Buddhism. The headquarters, Fo Guang Shan Monastery is located in Dashu District, Kaohsiung, an ...
's monastery in physical size and in the number of ordained disciples.
History
Construction began in 1990 and ended with completion in 2001. From 2001 until 2006 it was the world's tallest Buddhist building and has been the world's tallest Buddhist temple since 2001.
Architecture
The temple sits in a 25 hectares of complex. It was designed by Taiwanese-based Chinese architect
C. Y. Lee and constructed with a cost of US$650 million.
See also
*
Buddhism in Taiwan
Buddhism is one of the major religions of Taiwan. Taiwanese people predominantly practice Mahayana Buddhism, Confucian principles, local practices and Taoist tradition. Roles for religious specialists from both Buddhist and Taoist traditions exi ...
*
Chung Tai Shan
Chung Tai Shan () is a Taiwan-based international Chan Buddhist monastic order founded by the Ven. Wei Chueh in 1987. The monastery headquarters, Chung Tai Chan Monastery (or Chung Tai Chan Buddhist Temple, 中台禪寺), completed in September ...
*
Four Great Mountains (Taiwan) The Four Great Mountains of Taiwan refers to a group of four prominent organizations in Taiwanese Buddhism. The term draws its name from the Four Sacred Mountains of China, four mountains in mainland China that each hold sacred Chinese Buddhist si ...
*
Ocean Sky Chan Monastery
Ocean Sky Chan Monastery () is the Manila, Philippine branch of Taiwan's Chung Tai Chan Monastery (). Completed in 2001, the monastery offers free Zen meditation classes and other services, under the direction of Chung Tai and Grand Master Wei ...
, Philippines
*
List of temples in Taiwan
This is a list of notable temples in Taiwan associated with Chinese folk religion, mostly Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism. Religious affiliation is based on what each temple registered as to the Ministry of the Interior
An interior ministry ...
*
List of tourist attractions in Taiwan
Popular tourist attractions in Taiwan include the following:
Attractions Historical buildings
* Beihai Tunnel, Beigan ()
* Beihai Tunnel, Nangan ()
* Daxi Wude Hall ()
* Ete ...
References
External links
Chung Tai Chan Monastery website
2001 establishments in Taiwan
21st-century Buddhist temples
Buddhist monasteries in Taiwan
Buildings and structures in Nantou County
Buddhist temples in Taiwan
Chan temples
Chung Tai Shan
Tourist attractions in Nantou County
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