The serene and stately Zhinan Temple sits high above Wenshan District in a near feng shui–perfect perch: two rivers converge in the valley below, while lush wooded hills flank its rear halls. First built in 1891, the temple is dedicated to Lu Tung Pin, one of the eight immortals of classic Chinese mythology.
Note that some signs spell the name Chih Nan. To get here, take bus 530 from Taipower Building MRT station to Zhinan Temple station; otherwise take the gondola.
Eleven shrines and three large temples make up the entire complex. In the far right temple, dedicated to the Sakyamuni Buddha, look for a central Thai-style black Buddha. This was a gift from a Thai prime minister exiled during a coup and later reinstated, it is said, with the help of the Zhinan Temple pantheon.
Zhinan Temple's final claim to fame is its resident god's notorious habit of splitting up unmarried couples (Lu himself was a jilted lover). Many young Taiwanese still avoid the place for this reason.
You can hike up to the temple in less than an hour from National Chengchi University (there's a small drinks and snack stand in the temple). There is also a long flight of steps up to the temple (access via Zhinan Road Section 2) passing tumbledown huts.
