Longhu Ta in Kaohsiung, dragon and tiger towers over Lotus Pond
Published on 09/17/2026 at 13:40 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Longhu Ta in Kaohsiung is a pair of brightly coloured pagoda towers beside Lotus Pond, fronted by giant dragon and tiger figures that turn temple architecture into a walkable story set over the water. Built in 1976 in Zuoying District in southern Taiwan, the complex anchors a lakeside landscape of temples and pavilions with its twin towers and their animal guardians.
Pagoda towers rising from 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.multi-storey pagoda towers Each tower rises from a concrete or masonry base connected to the shore by walkways, so that the pagodas read as vertical landmarks emerging from the lake surface rather than from solid ground.platforms set out over the water
The towers are described as seven-storey structures built with brick and stone, following a tiered pagoda form associated with classical Chinese aesthetics of the Tang and Song dynasties.seven-storey towers built with brick and stone Roofs and balconies repeat on each level, creating a rhythmic outline against the lake and the skyline of Zuoying’s surrounding streets. Seen from across Lotus Pond, the pair of towers forms a symmetrical composition that anchors one stretch of the shore within the broader temple landscape.
Dragon and tiger guardians and folk symbolism
In front of the pagodas stand large sculptures of a dragon and a tiger, forming gateways whose open mouths serve as entrances to the walk-through passages linked to the towers.giant dragon and tiger figures Visitors enter through one animal and exit through the other, turning the approach to the pagodas into a sequence framed by Taiwanese folk imagery of auspicious creatures.
The dragon and tiger motifs at Longhu Ta reflect a strand of Taiwanese temple culture in which animal figures carry protective and symbolic meanings. Their placement at the lakeside gateway to the pagodas folds these associations into the spatial experience of moving from shore to tower. The brightly painted surfaces of the sculptures, together with the coloured detailing on the pagodas themselves, give the complex a storybook quality within the more subdued palette of some nearby shrines and pavilions at Lotus Pond.Dragon and Tiger Pagodas
Longhu Ta in the Lotus Pond temple landscape
Longhu Ta stands on the shore of Lotus Pond, also known as Lotus Lake, in Bidong Village in Zuoying District, north of central Kaohsiung in southern Taiwan.Bidong Village in Zuoying District The broader lakeside area forms a temple landscape in which religious complexes are linked by causeways, promenades and bridges along the water’s edge.broader Lotus Pond temple landscape Within this setting, Longhu Ta reads as a late twentieth-century addition whose date of construction is recorded as 1976.
The pagodas form part of a scenic district where religious structures and viewing points share the shoreline. Paths run along the water, connecting Longhu Ta with neighbouring temples and pavilions, while the reflections of the towers in the lake tie the architecture visually to the surface of Lotus Pond. As a temple structure within Zuoying, Longhu Ta sits in a district that has developed as a historic area of Kaohsiung with multiple places of worship clustered around the lake.
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, reached by local transport links serving Zuoying.
- The immediate approach to the pagoda towers involves walking along lakeside paths and across connecting walkways, with steps inside the towers for those climbing the higher levels.
- Lotus Pond forms part of a wider temple area in Zuoying, so a visit to Longhu Ta can be combined with walks to neighbouring shrines and pavilions around the lakeshore.
- For Taiwan, the official language is Mandarin Chinese and the currency is the New Taiwan dollar.
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Frequently asked questions about Longhu Ta
Where is Longhu Ta located in Kaohsiung?
Longhu Ta stands beside Lotus Pond in Bidong Village in Zuoying District, a northern part of Kaohsiung in southern Taiwan, within a lakeside temple area.
What can visitors expect when walking through Longhu Ta?
Visitors cross lakeside paths and walkways to reach the twin pagoda towers, passing through large dragon and tiger gateways before climbing interior stairways to higher levels.
What makes Longhu Ta distinctive among Lotus Pond temples?
The combination of twin seven-storey pagoda towers and the giant dragon and tiger sculptures creates a lakeside temple complex that stands out within the wider Lotus Pond landscape.
