The scenic pond in the north of the city has been a popular destination since the Qing dynasty and is well known for the 20 or so temples dotting the shoreline and nearby alleys. The majority of these structures are garishly kitsch, which can be fun for some. At night they're illuminated, creating multicoloured reflections in the water.
Starting from the southern end and heading clockwise around the lake, you'll first encounter sections of the Old Wall of Fengshan (Fèngshān Jiùcháng), built in 1826. The intact north gate wall runs along Shengli Rd.
On the southern edge of Lotus Pond are the red-and-yellow seven-storey Dragon & Tiger Pagodas, built in full-blown '70s flamboyance. They're connected to a temple by a zigzag bridge. Leading to the twin towers are corridors built in the likeness of the eponymous creatures. Be sure to enter through the dragon's mouth and exit through the tiger's jaws. To do otherwise would bring terrible luck. To their left are the fun and gaudy Spring & Autumn Pavilions. The two octagonal towers in green and yellow are dedicated to Guandi, the God of War, and feature Guanyin riding a dragon that you can walk through like you do the dragon and tiger at the pagodas.
Standing right across the road, the Temple of Enlightenment is the largest temple in the area. It's guarded by two giant temple lions hugging equally giant stone balls.
Most structures around the lake are modern and gaudy, with the exception of the City God Temple. In the entrance hall, look up to admire the detailed plafond (decorative ceiling); the traditional woodcarvings are filled with symbolism, such as the fish representing yin and yang, and the crabs representing official promotion. The roof has some fine examples of dragons and phoenixes in jiǎnniàn (mosaic-like temple decoration).
Back at the pond, follow the pier to the walkway out to the imposing 24m statue of Xuantian Shang-di, the Supreme Emperor of the Dark Heaven and guardian of the north. This Taoist deity is also known as Xuan Wu (玄武; Mysterious Warrior) and in Hong Kong as Emperor of the North (北帝; Pak Tai), and is usually presented barefoot with one foot on a serpent and the other on a tortoise – two monsters wreaking havoc on Earth that the deity, originally a prince, is believed to have subdued.
The final temple of note is the Confucius Temple on the pond's northern end. Completed in 1976, it's the largest Confucius temple complex in Taiwan (167 sq metres), and a stately 1970s replica of a Song-dynasty temple and the famous Qufu Confucius Temple in Shandong. It sits on the northwestern corner of Lotus Pond.
To get to the pond, take bus R51 or 301 from Zuoying MRT station (Exit 2).
