Located within Kaohsiung City, Cishan District is a thriving neighbourhood with multiple tourist attractions, including mountains, ancient temples and cultural institutions. Intersected by a picturesque river, this naturally-rich district is a gateway to numerous mountain townships, as well as the rest of Kaohsiung City.
Things to do in Qishan District
One of the first places you’ll notice in Cishan District is Cishan Wade Hall, a former martial arts dojo designed in a similar style to Tang Dynasty temples. Experience more of the district’s architecture at CishanTianhou Temple, a Qing-era temple and sacred religious site with wooden carvings, bronze sculptures and stone statues.
Take a stroll down Jhongshan Old Street and soak up the Japanese colonial-style buildings and intricate Stone Arches Corridor. If you’re travelling with kids, take them to Cishan Living Cultural Park, a fascinating museum that was once an elementary school with exhibits on everyday life back in the 1920s and an on-site cafe serving banana pastries.
Looking for some peace and quiet? Seek out Gushan Park, a tranquil public park with ancient trees, bike paths, a Confucius Temple and pond. It isn’t far from the historic Cishan Station, which was built in 1912 and now functions as a historic museum focusing on Japan’s sugar cane and transport industries.
You’d be amiss not venturing about 20 minutes south to the Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum. This impressive cultural and religious museum boasts eight pagodas, Buddha statues and the Jade Buddha Shrine, which houses a Buddha sculpture made from prized Burmese white jade.
Getting around Qishan District
Cishan District is only accessible via a highway that runs through the district. You can drive there yourself, take a cab or hire a driver. Once you arrive, it’s possible to explore the neighbourhood on foot as most attractions are within an easy walking distance of one another.