Longhu Ta in Kaohsiung, dragon and tiger pagodas on Lotus Pond
Published on 09/04/2026 at 06:20 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Longhu Ta in Kaohsiung is a pair of brightly coloured pagodas that rise above the water of Lotus Pond, flanked by a dragon and a tiger that turn the lakefront into a piece of storybook temple architecture. Built in 1976 in Zuoying District in southern Taiwan, the twin towers form one of the most recognisable modern additions to a landscape of shrines and pavilions around this artificial lake.
Dragon and tiger towers over Lotus Pond
Longhu Ta centres on two multi-storey pagoda towers standing on platforms set out over the water near the shore of Lotus Pond in Zuoying District, a northern part of Kaohsiung in southern Taiwan.Dragon and Tiger Pagodas Each tower is linked with a single animal figure: a dragon in front of one pagoda and a tiger in front of the other, so that the pair reads as a twin composition of tower and guardian creature.
The pagodas stand beside Lotus Pond, also known as Lotus Lake, an artificial body of water lined with temples, pavilions and walkways in Zuoying.Lotus Pond in Kaohsiung The towers rise from their platforms with red and yellow structural elements, echoing traditional Chinese pagoda forms in stacked tiers and projecting roofs, while the setting on the lake emphasises their vertical profile against the surrounding low-rise temple buildings and the expanse of water.
A late twentieth-century temple landmark
The complex known as Longhu Ta was completed in 1976, placing its construction firmly in the late twentieth century and distinguishing it from older temples around Lotus Pond that date to earlier periods.Built in 1976 The Dragon and Tiger Pagodas belong to the religious landscape attached to Ciji Palace across the road, tying the modern lakeside towers into an existing network of temple buildings in Zuoying.linked to Ciji Palace
Longhu Ta’s pagodas are described as seven-storey towers with brick-and-stone construction and decorative elements drawing on classical Chinese aesthetics associated with the Tang and Song dynasties.seven-storey Dragon and Tiger Pagodas In colour and detail they reflect Taiwanese temple design of the 1970s, combining bold paintwork with figurative sculpture and inscriptions along the corridors and interior spaces.
Walking through the dragon and the tiger
One of the defining experiences at Longhu Ta is the way visitors move through the animal figures that front the pagodas. The dragon and tiger are rendered at architectural scale, with their bodies forming corridors that lead towards the towers at the lake’s edge.corridors through dragon and tiger Entering the dragon’s mouth and exiting through the tiger’s mouth is regarded within local tradition as an auspicious sequence, associated with the idea of transforming misfortune into better prospects.dragon and tiger auspicious walk
The pagodas themselves are approached from the shore by a bridge laid out in multiple angled segments, known locally as a nine-angle bridge, which zigzags over the water to reach the platforms beneath the towers.nine-angle bridge From the platforms, stairways inside the towers lead up through successive levels, with views out across Lotus Pond and towards other temples and pavilions that share the shoreline.
Visiting Longhu Ta: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- Longhu Ta stands beside Lotus Pond in Bidong Village in Zuoying District, north of central Kaohsiung in southern Taiwan, and is reached via local city transport towards Zuoying.
The broader Lotus Pond temple area lies within the urban fabric of Kaohsiung rather than in remote countryside. - The site involves walking across a zigzag bridge over the lake and passing through the interior spaces of the dragon and tiger figures, followed by stairways inside the towers.
Visitors encounter steps within the pagodas and uneven surfaces along the lakeside paths and platforms. - Lotus Pond is an artificial lake, and Longhu Ta stands among several other temple complexes and pavilions around its shore, so the surroundings combine water, paved walkways and clusters of religious buildings rather than open parkland.
- The official language is Chinese, specifically Mandarin, and the currency is the New Taiwan dollar.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
Searching for Longhu Ta on social platforms
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Frequently asked questions about Longhu Ta
Where is Longhu Ta located in Kaohsiung?
Longhu Ta stands on the shore of Lotus Pond in Bidong Village, Zuoying District, in the northern part of Kaohsiung in southern Taiwan.Longhu Ta in Bidong Village
What should visitors expect on a visit to Longhu Ta?
Visitors encounter two brightly painted pagoda towers, large dragon and tiger figures forming walk-through corridors, lakeside platforms and stairways inside the towers, all set within a dense temple landscape around Lotus Pond.
What makes Longhu Ta distinctive among Lotus Pond temples?
Longhu Ta is distinguished by its twin pagodas paired with full-scale dragon and tiger sculptures, its late twentieth-century origin in 1976 and its position on platforms extending over the water of Lotus Pond.
