Longshan Temple in Taipei Guide + Photos 2024

Longshan Temple (also known as Bangka Lungshan) is Taipei’s most famous temple, renowned for its (en)chanting ceremonies.

Whilst not always serene (it attracts huge crowds of tourists and worshippers), it is certainly one of the most beautiful temples in the city.

With the original Longshan temple site dating back to the Qing Dynasty in the late 1730s, the shrine has been rebuilt several times over the years, most recently after the aftermath of WWII bombing in 1945.

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If you plan to visit Longshan Temple in Taipei, be sure to try and coincide your visit with one of the three chanting ceremonies held daily – it is one of the most memorable and inspiring things to do in Taipei.

Open until 9.30pm daily and illuminated at night, it is also one of the main places to enjoy Lunar New Year celebrations with the whole temple lit up by Chinese lanterns.

From openings times to its history and how to pray, here is our Taiwanderers guide to the Longshan Temple Taipei.

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Table of Contents

How to get to Longshan Temple

Located in the Wanhua district, the nearest station is actually called Longshan Temple station on the blue Bannan Taipei MRT line.

Take exit 5 at Longshan Temple station departing through Longshan Temple Underground Street, up the escalators and into Bangka Park – the temple is in front of you, a little to the left.

Longshan Temple station is only 1 stop from Ximen station and 2 stops from Taipei Main Station.

If you are exploring the Ximending neighbourhood and its Red House, it is around a 15 minute (1 km walk) between Ximending and Longshan Temple.

Also check Google Maps or the official Go! Taipei Metro app to see which is the quickest and best route for you.

Taiwanderers Tip

Grab a Taiwan EasyCard as a convenient way to use buses and public transport in Taipei and across Taiwan. They can be easily topped up at stations and convenience stores.

Read more about how to use a Taiwan EasyCard, including how to top up >

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Longshan Temple opening hours

Taipei’s Longshan Temple is open from 6am to 9.30pm daily, 7 days a week.

Bangka Lungshan hours may vary during public holidays, and religious festivals like the Lunar New Year and Mazu sea goddess are held every month on the 1st and 15th.

The famous (and cleansing) chanting ceremony takes place daily at 6am, 8am and 4pm.

Longshan temple opening times are all correct as of summer 2024.

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Longshan Temple admission

Longshan Temple in Taipei is free admission but donations, offerings and sales of items like random fortunes inside at the booths inside are appreciated.

Try this – Taipei classic landmarks tour including Longshan temple or Longshan Temple Walking Tour in Taipei

History of Longshan Temple in Taipei

One of the oldest temples in Taipei, Longshan temple was established during the Qing Dynasty and opened as a place of worship in 1738 by Chinese immigrants.

Over the years, it has seen many changes and damage, most noticeably when it was bombed in 1945 in WWII – most of the main temple was destroyed (and subsequently rebuilt in the late 1940s).

Incredibly, the large statue of Guanyin (the Goddess of Mercy) seen in the Main Hall ‘miraculously’ survived the bombing and was one of the few items to remain intact.

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Arriving at Longshan Temple

The first thing you notice as you arrive outside the Main Gate of Longshan Temple is how busy it is outside as well – hundreds of (mainly elderly) locals congregate outside to socialise (usually after worship) and the whole area is a hive of activity.

Around the outskirts of the temple, there is a small urban park (Bangka Park) with some fountains but it is nothing special and mainly full of birds and elderly citizens conversing or doing Tai Chi.

However inside the Longshan Temple Taipei perimeter between the Main Gate and inner Dragon Gate, there is a courtyard with the most amazing miniature waterfall with lots of gushing water and topiary.

Incidentally if the sound of running water makes you want to go to the toilet, don’t worry, there are some free restrooms in the temple!

Be sure to look up at the design of the roof of the first gate, full of elaborate dragon carvings.

Once you’ve explored the outer area, it is time to go the main temple and main hall area through the Dragon or Tiger gates.

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Inside Longshan Temple

Once clear of the outer section, you enter through the Dragon gate into the inner sanctum of Longshan Temple and its main hall.

Unless you’ve arrived during the famous Longshan chanting ceremony, the first you’ll likely notice is all of the worshippers leaving gifts to the temple’s deities and monks along with a small prayer – chocolate biscuits seem a very popular choice of offering we noticed!

The perimeter of the Main Hall section has several stalls and kiosks where you can buy offerings, religious icons and random fortunes.

We’ve been to Longshan Temple probably 7 or 8 times over the years and every time we go (usually mid morning or early evening), it is always busy with a big queue of worshippers streaming past the Main Hall, to pay their respect to Guanyin (the Goddess of Mercy).

If you wish to pray in the appropriate manner and ensure you stick to correct temple etiquette, Longshan Temple have kindly provided a full guide on how to pray correctly here >

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Chanting ceremonies at Longshan Temple

This is just one of those Taipei things to do that has to be heard because no matter what we write, we won’t do it justice.

The whole of Longshan Temple comes to a stand-still (although you are free to walk around as long as you keep a respectful silence) as hundreds of worshippers chant and follow prayers from small books – it is incredible to hear.

chanting at Longshan Temple in Taipei Taiwan

So much so, we recorded it on our phone and played it back on many occasions as a calming sound.

The famous chanting ceremony at Longshan Temple takes place 3 times every day – at 6am (opening time), 8am, and around 4pm for the last chanting of the day. Chanting generally lasts 45 minutes although the final chanting session of the day is longer.

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Other things to do

It is also common to see people using ‘Jiaobei’, the red moon shaped wooden blocks thrown in pairs to seek guidance on life decisions from the temple deities (free to use).

Jiaobei’, the red moon shaped wooden blocks at Longshan Temple in Taipei Taiwan

Towards the rear of the temple, behind the Main Hall, you might even find love – whilst that sounds like a bold statement, you’ll see lots of young and middle aged locals praying to Yue Lao, the deity of love and marriage (Yue Lao appears as an elderly man sat beneath the moon).

Singletons and the unlucky in love pray to find their perfect partner – and if you are lucky enough to already be with your chosen one, bring them here and tie a piece of red string around their wrist to signify your love and ‘bind’ them to you.

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The best time to visit Longshan Temple

Open from 6am to 9.30pm daily, Longshan Temple is an amazing experience any time of the day but we’d suggest you try and coincide your trip with one of the three daily chanting ceremonies.

Unless you can get up early and get there before 8.45am, we’d suggest arriving just before 4pm for the final chanting ceremony of the day.

Alternatively, Longshan Temple lights up at night and is well worth a visit to see it illuminated (we’d recommend Songshan temple at night too, handily right next to Raohe Night Market).

If you are lucky enough to be in Taipei for Lunar New Year, Longshan Temple is also a focal point of all the festivities and awash with colourful lanterns.

chinese lunar new year lanterns Longshan Temple in Taipei Taiwan

If plan to be in Taipei for Lunar New Year, check out our Chinese Lunar New Year in Dihua Street guide >

Night markets near Longshan Temple

If you happen to be visiting Longshan Temple in the late afternoon or early evening, there are several markets all within a 5 minute walk of Lungshan – Guangzhou Street night market, Huaxi Street night market and Xichang street night market.

Guangzhou Street night market Taipei — *Guangzhou Street night market*

Xichang Street Tourist Night Market Taipei — *Xichang Street Market*

Whilst these markets are worth a visit, they are nothing on the scale of say Shilin night market or Raohe night market but are more authentic.

That said Xichang Street night market (map) was a bit of an eye opener, a more antique/flea market style affair where it seemed struggling locals were keen to sell old items.

Xichang Street flea Market Taipei — *Xichang Street Market*

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Huaxi Night Market

Of the night markets near Longshan in Taipei, the Huaxi Street Night Market is probably the best with lots of local family run restaurants under a covered canopy – just watch out for the odd errant moped.

Huaxi Night Market also recently featured on the 2024 Taipei episode of Somebody Feed Phil on Netflix.

Phil is seen walking through Huaxi Street Market and stops at Wang’s Broth restaurant for some lunch.

They tried some popular Taiwanese chopped braised pork belly over rice, with cabbage and bamboo shoots – and there are lots more dishes to try should you visit Huaxi Night Market.

Google maps link >

Check out all the Somebody Feed Phil, Taipei, Keelung and Jiufen eating locations (with map) >

Other things to know

The official Lungshan Temple website can be found here – please note you may need to use Google Translate as the site does have an English version. The temple also accepts donations online.
Longshan Temple toilets are available as you go through the first main entrance on the left, before you see the Main Hall – the toilets are free and cleaned regularly.