Great Buddha Statue of Baguashan

Located on the hill 74 meters above sea level, the 24-meter-high Great Buddha Statue of Baguashan used to be one of the biggest Buddha statues in Asia upon its completion in 1961. The interior is separated into six different floors, where visitors are allowed to climb the steps to reach the very top of the great statue. Each floor contains a series of life-size statues that tell the story of the Buddha as well as his path to supreme.

The Great Buddha Temple (大佛寺) behind the statue was built in the style of an ornate palace in 1972. The large temple is quite a rarity in Taiwan as it combines Taoist, Buddhist and Confucian beliefs into one single community. The first floor is dedicated to the greatest sage and teacher Confucius, the second floor enshrines Guan Yu (the Taoist God of War), and the third floor practices Buddhism and venerates Gautama Buddha as the primary deity. The golden-faced statue of Guan Yu and his sacred weapon that weighs 64kg are especially worth your attention. Besides, there are two 9-floor pagodas on both sides of the temple that serve as columbaria.

Never mind if you are not religious at all. At the front of Great Buddha is Changhua’s highest point and a great spot to stand — on one side you have the great statue, and on the other you have an excellent panorama of the city. On weekends, many locals come here to enjoy the golden sunset and wait for the lighted water fountains that "dance" to music each day and night.