Long Shan Temple: the treasure of Taiwan

Long Shan Temple in Lu Gang, Zhang Hua（彰化鹿港龍山寺）, was built in 1786. The temple is dedicated to Guan Yin（觀音）, Avalokiteśvara, also known as the Goddess of Mercy. It is listed the national heritage in Taiwan. The temple is a work of art, and every detail of the painting, sculpture, and architecture, and even the arrangement of buildings, all shows highly exquisite artistic presentation. The temple collapsed when the earthquake hit in 1999, and the restoration work was finally completed in 2008. During the restoration, there were disputes concerning whether the restoration should conduct new construction so as to ensure the strength of the structure or they should only try to restore the temple's original look. I am no expert on such issue, and after visiting the temple, I can only say the restoration work was done well.

The main entrance gate















The second entrance gate with the platform for Chinese opera attached behind.















Those dragon columns are made of stone and the carvings are amazing.





























The platform for Chinese opera performances. It is usual for temples, especially really old and important ones, to have such platform in front of the main hall so that the gods/goddesses could enjoy performances (often presented to thank gods/goddesses).

The main hall, dedicated to Guan Yin and her disciples.















Inside the main hall. The lamp is a beautiful artwork.





























The rear hall, dedicated to other deities (other buddhas and Bodhisattvas, which are widely worshiped by Chinese).
















The back wall of the main hall with 大觀在上 (the literal meaning is a great view from the above) written (or carved) on the wall. The phrase 大觀在上 is borrowed from I Ching meaning that we should position ourselves on a higher level and broaden our views. Besides we must have a mild and humble attitude. By doing so, we would be able to observe everything in the world properly and to adjust ourselves in the right way.




















Decorations on the door of the main hall. The flower basket is from someone who must have realized hie/her dreams after praying to Guan Yin in this temple.
















This window is amazingly beautiful. There are two windows like this next to the door at each side of the second entrance gate. The central pattern is made from one piece of wood. Both windows have the same pattern and are preserved well.

Decorations on the roof. Both seem to depict fairies riding on phoenix.















More decorations on the roof.











































A small lion stone sculpture. Seems to indicate the strength of the lion, which can support the weight of the roof. In the meantime, such mean animal can protect the temple from any possible attack, whether it is a man-made one or a supernatural one.
















Small elephant stone sculpture with a monkey (same material) on top of the elephant. I believe this also indicate the power of animals, which at the same time act as the supporter and protector of dharma, the universal truth common to all individuals in all times, and the teaching of Buddha.
















The use of animals may firstly, as mentioned above, indicate that the teaching of Buddha and the religious power can tame these wild animals and turn them into good protectors of dharma. Moreover, this use of animals show the artistic talent of the designer of the temple, which adds certain entertaining effect to the overall design of the temple. It amuses the visitors and ease the possible all too serious and rigid atmosphere a temple, especially an important one, may usually have.

郭冠英的邏輯？？？語言暴力是言論自由嗎？

如果說污蔑台灣以及台灣人民是愛台灣的表現，那麼，按照這種邏輯來看，對陳水扁以及那些貪污者的不齒與厭惡不就變成了愛護他們的行為了嗎？這位郭才子的腦袋到底在想什麼？再者，不斷用謊言、惡言表達極端且偏激的主觀意識，這樣的行為有什麼好了不起的？是不是因為成為了為社會負面教材所以了不起？

口口聲聲說是要捍衛言論自由，但到底這是一種什麼樣的言論自由？他所定義的言論自由似乎是一種無限上剛的語言暴力，不管這種語言內容是多麼不得體、傷害人、或是污辱人。試想，罵人不好聽的話都會吃上官司，甚至是被判罰緩，更何況是具有國家公職身分的人用極度污蔑性的字眼來嘲諷國家與全體人民。如果一般民眾在運用語言暴力後會受到法律的制裁，那麼國家官員是否亦比照辦理？解職作為處分只不過是行政處置的結果，但是遭受到他污辱的台灣民眾是否就應該白白被打一巴掌，莫不吭聲？

「我是捍衛憲法，捍衛民族的英雄，我應該做個更大的位置，或許是總統，可能台北縣長，可能立法委員，可能新聞局長。」（NOWnews on Yahoo news, 98/03/25）真是大言不慚！我真的不懂他捍衛了什麼憲法規章。謾罵自己同胞什麼時候變成了是捍衛民族的方式了？

媒體應該開始拒絕採訪他，不間斷的密集採訪似乎更滿足了他偏執的英雄主義，因為他把他自己當成了捨己為人的聖徒。採取一種似乎是左派抗爭的虛假形式，試圖將其承受的責難轉化為政治性壓迫，他只不過是為了滿足自身的虛榮心，並不具備任何實際的、神聖的革命意圖，而小丑般的行為再再證明了他的怪異與膚淺。

如果身為中國人是他的驕傲，那麼請他就乾脆地放棄台灣護照吧，請他投向那熱情的祖國的懷抱吧！

台灣並不差，差的是那些假借愛台灣名義不斷傷害台灣的偽君子！郭才子在邏輯不通的狀態下，早已將自己歸類於偽君子一類，所以才會繼續大言不慚地發聲。中國人固有的文人精神就在他滔滔不絕的講話中被損害殆盡。