In Chiayi County, Taiwan (China), there is a special temple known as "Taiwan's Leaning Tower of Pisa". The temple, called Taihe Zhenxing, leans 45 degrees and is attracting the attention of the tourist community, being likened to the Taiwanese version of the Tower of Pisa.
Until August 2009, the temple stood upright like all the other temples on the island. However, after Typhoon Morakot, the ground collapsed, causing the temple to gradually sink and suffer the most severe damage in its history.
The leaning pagoda called Taihe Zhenxing in Taiwan is so unique that it has been dubbed the "Taiwanese version of the Leaning Tower of Pisa"
The storm, which triggered massive flooding and landslides, was the deadliest typhoon to hit the island in recorded history. It brought heavy rains, massive mudflows, and severe flooding across Taiwan. In addition to the massive damage, Morakot also killed hundreds of people and caused geological damage to local structures.
After the storm, Taihe Zhenxing Pagoda suddenly tilted 45 degrees, attracting the attention of many domestic and international tourists. The entire structure of the pagoda miraculously survived, despite being tilted quite a bit.
In 2020, the Alishan National Scenic Area Administration built an observation deck opposite for visitors to conveniently admire, but after that, few people visited because of Covid-19.
Taihe Zhenxing Temple, which is located off the beaten path, suddenly became famous after its images were shared on social media. The way to take photos is quite simple, just stand on the road in front of the temple, hold the phone straight and lean forward to get a photo like Michael Jackson's dance.
After the storm, Taihe Zhenxing Pagoda suddenly tilted 45 degrees, attracting the attention of many domestic and international tourists. The entire structure of the pagoda miraculously survived, despite being tilted quite a bit.
Taihe Zhenxing Temple has recently become a popular tourist attraction on social media, with people flocking to see it out of curiosity and wanting to take photos like the tourists at the Tower of Pisa in Italy. The number of tourists has skyrocketed recently thanks to information shared on social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok. The temple has become a unique check-in spot where you can pose in a way that defies gravity.
Earlier this year, after photos and videos taken here went viral, Taihe Zhenxing Temple was even featured on national television and dubbed "Taiwan's Leaning Tower of Pisa."
It is known that Taihe Zhenxing was formerly the site of major events such as coronations and celebrations during the Ming and Qing dynasties.
According to locals, despite the tilt, the temple still stands "miraculously". Taihe Zhenxing is nearly 270 km from Taipei city. Visitors can take a taxi, train or bus. The train journey takes about 90 minutes, with fares starting at $30. The bus journey takes longer, almost twice as long, but the fares are cheaper, starting at $15.
Earlier this year, after photos and videos taken here went viral, Taihe Zhenxing Temple was even featured on national television and dubbed "Taiwan's Leaning Tower of Pisa."
Taiwan began to open up to tourism on October 13, no longer requiring mandatory quarantine, but visitors still have to monitor their health at their place of stay for 7 days. Visitors are also given 4 rapid test strips to test every 2 days, but are free to travel (unless found positive).
