Confucius Temple

Lonely Planet review

You expect a Confucius Temple to exude the calm, grace and dignified beauty of traditional Chinese culture, and this, the first Confucian temple in Taiwan, doesn't disappoint. Nor do the grounds, which contain one of the largest and most beautiful banyan trees in all of Taiwan.

The temple grounds are free (and nice to sit in at night), but you must pay to enter the palace area. The receipt comes with an excellent short brochure and map of the temple. One thing to look for that is not on the brochure is the stone tablet on the right as you enter the Edification Hall. The words on the tablet explain the school rules (the site was once a centre for Confucian studies), such as prohibitions against gambling, drinking and cheating.

At the time of writing there was a lot of work being done to the grounds beside the temple. Expect new walkways, ponds and a museum. Across the street from the temple entrance is an old stone arch built in 1777. It's now the gateway to a pedestrian street filled with cafés and small eateries.