When you stroll through Zhongzheng Park, different areas within the park will offer you different experiences. The "Dafu Temple," located at the top of the park, is the best place to take in the beautiful scenery of Keelung City. Dafu Temple is situated atop Shoushan Mountain in Zhongzheng Park, Keelung City, and is famous for its towering Guanyin Buddha statue. From its vantage point, you can enjoy a panoramic view of Keelung Harbor.
The architectural layout of Dafu Temple is quite different from that of ordinary temples. It is built in the style of Buddhist temples in the Tang Dynasty. The four-story building contains the Mahavira Hall, the Yuantong Hall, the lecture hall, the Maitreya Hall, the Guanyin Hall, the Glazed Tile Hall, the Merit Hall, and meditation rooms. It is magnificent, solemn and dignified. There is also a small temple on the left side of the temple, where there is an exquisite reclining Buddha statue for worship.
The predecessor of Dafu Zen Temple was just a small Buddhist lecture hall located in a slum in Wen'an Village, Ren'ai District, Keelung City. The founder of the lecture hall, Master Pu Guan, became a monk with his mother at a young age and made a great vow to build a magnificent Zen temple for the public to worship and admire. After searching extensively, he finally chose the top of Zhongzheng Park and started construction in 1967. It was completed two years later, and in the same year, Master Yin Shun presided over the consecration of the Buddha statue and officially unveiled it.
The most prominent landmark in the square in front of the temple is a 22.5-meter-tall (approximately 74-foot) white Guanyin statue. This is Keelung City's most iconic landmark and was the tallest Buddhist statue in Taiwan at the time of its construction. The statue has five floors with staircases for access, and features bronze and wooden statues for visitors to admire. Each floor has viewing windows offering panoramic views of Keelung Harbor, allowing visitors to climb to the top floor and enjoy a bird's-eye view of the entire city – a truly unique experience that attracts a constant stream of tourists from home and abroad. On either side of the Guanyin statue sit two enormous golden lions, exuding peace and solemnity. Around the statue are eighteen Arhat statues, each with a different expression and posture, making for a lively and interesting display.
Currently, the images of Guanyin are painted on Keelung City buses, making it an important part of the memories of Keelung residents. The Guanyin image was also selected as the first of the eight scenic spots of Keelung City – "Compassionate Light Shines Everywhere". As the name suggests, Guanyin Bodhisattva will protect the entire Keelung, allowing every person to feel the compassionate light shining everywhere. If you come to Zhongzheng Park, you may wish to visit and worship here to pray for a cleansing of mind and body, and also enjoy the beautiful scenery.