Located within the Alishan Forest Recreation Park, Shoujhen Temple is the largest temple within the Alishan area and indeed, it is also the highest altitude temple in Taiwan (2150m). Since the reconstruction in 1969, it has become one of the most popular temples for the locals. The gods that are worshiped here are the Syuantian Emperor (God of Justice), the Fude God (God of Commerce), and the Jhusheng Goddess (Goddess of Fertility).
An interesting and mysterious report to mention here about this highly worshiped temple is each year, on the 3rd of March in the lunar calendar, just a week prior to Syuantian Emperor(God of Justice)’s birthday, a group of Alishan kuciouluowun Moths (These gigantic moths are around palm sized and has wingspan about 15cms with black-eye-like pattern on their wings) lands and stays on the god’s statue for up to 15 days straight, without food nor movement until the celebration of the Syuantian Emperor’s birthday ends.
Some superstitious ways of explaining this unusualness activity done by the moths is that the moths were here to celebrate the Syuantian Emperor (God of Justice)’s birthday by dancing around the statue until the celebration finishes. Others explained that March and April are the breeding seasons for the moths and they were attracted by the thick smoke and lights coming from the temple. This phenomenon often attracts people to come and witness the unusual sight and made this temple well known throughout Taiwan.
Alishan Shoujhen Temple
Directions:
From Chiayi Train Station (嘉義火車站) to Alishan Forest Recreation Area(阿里山國家森林遊樂區):
Take train to Chiayi Train Station (嘉義火車站) and take Chiayi Bus (Alishan route) 嘉義客運(嘉義-阿里山)to the Alishan Forest Recreation Area(阿里山國家森林遊樂區). It takes about 2.5 hours from the Train station to get to Alishan. Chiayi Bus runs at the following times: 06:10 08:10 10:10 12:10 14:10.
From HSR Chiayi Station (嘉義高鐵站) to Alishan Forest Recreation Area (阿里山國家森林遊樂區):
Take HSR to HSR Chiayi Station (嘉義高鐵站) and take BRT to Chiayi Train Station. From there, take Chiayi Bus (Alishan route) to the Alishan Forest Recreation Area (阿里山國家森林遊樂區). It takes about 2.5 hours from the Train station to get to Alishan. Chiayi Bus (嘉義縣公車) runs at the following times: 06:10 08:10 10:10 12:10 14:10.
Today, visitors may visit the Alishan Sacred Tree, Zhaoping and Zhushan by Alishan train at the Alishan Train Station.
Sacred Tree Route 神木線 :
Train runs every 15minutes from 09:30 through 16:30.
(Travel time about 10 minutes)
Zhaoping Route 沼平線:
Train runs every 15 minutes from 09:15 through 16:15.
(Travel time about 10 minutes)
Zhushan Route 祝山線:
Train runs once a day at 06:00. (Travel time about 30 minutes)
Time will be adjusted according to the estimated sunrise time of the day (Visitors may contact the Alishan Train Station at +886-5-267-9833 for more information).
Note:
Time may be adjusted slightly without advance notices.
Drive on your own:
No. 1 National Highway (國道一號): exit from Chiayi Interchange (嘉義交流道) -> 159 County Road (159縣道) -> Chiayi City (嘉義市) -> Wufeng South (North) Road (吳鳳南(北)路) or Mituo road (彌陀路) -> 18 Provincial Highway (18號省道) -> Tsukou (觸口) -> Laitou (瀨頭) -> Shizhuo (石卓) -> Alishan Forest Recreation Area(阿里山國家森林遊樂區)
Take train to Chiayi Train Station (嘉義火車站) and take Chiayi Bus (Alishan route) 嘉義客運(嘉義-阿里山)to the Alishan Forest Recreation Area(阿里山國家森林遊樂區). It takes about 2.5 hours from the Train station to get to Alishan. Chiayi Bus runs at the following times: 06:10 08:10 10:10 12:10 14:10.
From HSR Chiayi Station (嘉義高鐵站) to Alishan Forest Recreation Area (阿里山國家森林遊樂區):
Take HSR to HSR Chiayi Station (嘉義高鐵站) and take BRT to Chiayi Train Station. From there, take Chiayi Bus (Alishan route) to the Alishan Forest Recreation Area (阿里山國家森林遊樂區). It takes about 2.5 hours from the Train station to get to Alishan. Chiayi Bus (嘉義縣公車) runs at the following times: 06:10 08:10 10:10 12:10 14:10.
Today, visitors may visit the Alishan Sacred Tree, Zhaoping and Zhushan by Alishan train at the Alishan Train Station.
Sacred Tree Route 神木線 :
Train runs every 15minutes from 09:30 through 16:30.
(Travel time about 10 minutes)
Zhaoping Route 沼平線:
Train runs every 15 minutes from 09:15 through 16:15.
(Travel time about 10 minutes)
Zhushan Route 祝山線:
Train runs once a day at 06:00. (Travel time about 30 minutes)
Time will be adjusted according to the estimated sunrise time of the day (Visitors may contact the Alishan Train Station at +886-5-267-9833 for more information).
Note:
Time may be adjusted slightly without advance notices.
Drive on your own:
No. 1 National Highway (國道一號): exit from Chiayi Interchange (嘉義交流道) -> 159 County Road (159縣道) -> Chiayi City (嘉義市) -> Wufeng South (North) Road (吳鳳南(北)路) or Mituo road (彌陀路) -> 18 Provincial Highway (18號省道) -> Tsukou (觸口) -> Laitou (瀨頭) -> Shizhuo (石卓) -> Alishan Forest Recreation Area(阿里山國家森林遊樂區)