There is a saying “live an extra 20 seconds by one step you climb.” If that is true, then you should come to Zhinan Temple which has 1200 steps up to the Temple, and you can add extra 6 hours to your life by climbing all the steps! Zhinan in Chinese means compass, and formerly known as Shienkong (heavenly elders) Temple, this ancient temple is devoted to the one of the eight immortal Chinese deities, Lu Dong-bing. Legends say that Lu, after he became a deity, frequently visiting earth in order to help people, thus he is very well respected by people on earth.

Zhinan Temple is located at the peak of Houshan (Monkey Mountain). It is accessible either from the main road or from the hiking trail behind the mountain. The hiking trail is made up of about 1,200 concrete steps. The pillars on the top can be used to hang the oil lamps which were contributed by the worshippers during the Japanese occupation. Each resting shed is located at every 100 steps up to the trail. At the front, a pair of pillars carved with the dragons symbolized the entrance gatekeeper. The architecture of the temple is composed by the red pillars, and three-storey high. The ground floor can accommodates for overnight lodging. There is a myth about the people who was lost on their way home, and with deity Lu's permission, could stay overnight at the temple. Lu would also guide the lost people directions in their dreams.

Behind the temple on the left is a two-storey shrine. The 1st and 2nd floors are the main chambers, devoted to sakyamuni buddha. One of the statues was given by a high prestige Thai Buddhist leader, and is a national treasure brought all the way from Thailand. The statue was craved after the Indian Buddha's appearance and was skillfully composed with 9 different types of gold metals. Obviously, it is the most valuable piece of statue in the entire temple. Behind the temple on the right, there is a scenic hiking trail, and at the end you will reach another temple called Linsio (cloud) Temple. The heavenly soldiers and generals guard the main entrance. Inside the temple are numerous statues of Buddha. Take a walk down to the left corridor, and you will reach Zhinan Tourist Park. There are campsites and hiking trails leading to the Confucius Chamber. Here, on the white wall of the temple, there are sophisticated carving of Confucius, his pupils and a unicorn touring the country. It symbolized Confucius's spirit is as precious as a unicorn, and continuously lecturing wherever he travel.

However, there is a warning for an unmarried loving couple must not visit this place, the legend about deity Lu was unsuccessful in winning the love of another female immortal deity, so he was very jealous of loving couples. If the unmarried loving couple visits this place, the deity Lu will not grant the blessing to the couple and Lu may make the couple to break up.