Kaiyuan Temple

The main deity enshrined at Kaiyuan Temple is Koxinga (Zheng Chenggong), the Prince of Yanping. It is located in Chailin Village, Xikou Township, Chiayi County. The temple's most prominent feature is a statue of Koxinga, claimed to be the tallest in the world, standing 172 feet tall, equivalent to a 7-story building. This giant statue is visible from a distance when driving into Xikou Township and has become a landmark. Kaiyuan Temple was completed in December 1995 and is open to the public for free. The interior floors of the Koxinga statue house the Koxinga Cultural Relics Memorial Hall. The hall displays historical artifacts and materials related to Koxinga's life, his growth, his sacrifice and dedication to the nation, calligraphy, weaponry, as well as edicts from the Qing government and the Dutch surrender document, all possessing significant historical value. The fifth to ninth floors of the Koxinga Cultural Relics Memorial Hall are open for free public viewing. The internal layout is as follows: The first floor features a model of Koxinga (the "King Who Opened Up Taiwan") and a conference hall; the second floor displays models of Kaiyuan Temple, the Ishii clan historical calendar, the ancestral home of the Zheng family in Zhangzhou, Koxinga's birthplace in Japan, and the Dutch surrender; the third floor exhibits artifacts from Koxinga's military career; the fourth floor showcases Koxinga's naval fleet; the fifth floor is a general cultural relics hall; the sixth floor is a rural cultural relics hall; and the seventh, eighth, and ninth floors serve as observation decks. Outside the first floor are four cannons from Koxinga's era and other related artifacts, making it one of Taiwan's must-visit tourist destinations. Kaiyuan Temple is about a ten-minute drive from the Dalin Interchange of the highway towards Xikou. It is located in a rural town within the vast western plains of Taiwan, specifically Chailin Village, Xikou Township, Chiayi County. To its northeast is the Santie River, and to its north, the Hukou River, which converge on the temple's right side to form the Beigang River, flowing southwest to the sea. During the rainy season, the rivers surge and rush downstream; however, during normal times, the water flows gently, presenting a distinct atmosphere.