Kofa Temple in Tainan

Kofa Temple in Tainan

Kofa Temple in Tainan is a cultural tourism attraction.

Kofa Temple in Tainan is situated on the north bank of Zhuxi River in the West Central District of Tainan City. It is a third-grade historic site of the Republic of China and one of the Seven Temples and Eight Shrines of the Taiwan Prefecture City. Its predecessor was the home of Li Maochun, a recluse who came to Taiwan with Zheng Jing at the end of the Ming Dynasty. Uninterested in fame and status, he planted plum trees and bamboo here, built a garden, and practiced Buddhism, and was known as Bodhisattva Li. After Li Maochun passed away, his monk friends converted his former residence into “Zhunti Nunnery,” dedicated to the Goddess Zhunti. During the Qing Dynasty, in the 23rd year of Emperor Kangxi’s reign (1684), Jiang Yuying, the prefect of Taiwan, raised funds to build a Buddhist temple here dedicated to the Buddha, renaming it Kofa Temple. The name has been used ever since.

Kofa Temple faces south and has five axes. The first main section is the Heavenly King Hall, where Maitreya Buddha is enshrined in the center at the front, Skanda is at the back, and the Four Heavenly Kings are on both sides; the second section is the Mahavira Hall, housing the Three Jewels of Buddhism, with five Bodhisattvas on each side; the third section is the Guanyin Hall, enshrining the Goddess Guanyin. On the left side of the temple are the mountain gate, inner courtyard, Guan Yu Hall, and the old vegetarian hall, while the right side consists of the mountain gate, the South Pole Hall dedicated to the Jade Emperor of the South Pole, and the Juxian Hall. Additionally, Kofa Temple in Tainan features several murals such as “Zhuang Zhou Dreaming of a Butterfly,” “Bodhidharma Facing the Wall,” and “The Three Laughs at Tiger Brook,” all created by the renowned local artist Pan Lishui. Many visitors come specifically to admire these artworks.

Tainan Fahua Temple

Must-visit reason: One of the most famous temples in Tainan