Taiwan Religious Culture Map

The gateway (sānmén) is located in front of the complex’s Fortune Square. It is known as the Gateway of the Universal Family, and its three openings are called the Entrance of Happiness, the Entrance of Good Fortune, and the Entrance of Joy. A pair of bronze hands holds a replica of the planet Earth on the top of the twenty-two meter tall gate. The gate structure is twenty-eight meters tall and nearly ten meters in depth. Unlike most heavily decorated traditional temple complex gates, the Gateway is solid and simple in design to express the spirit and concept of a return to nature and environmental consciousness. On each side of the gate is a “Universal Fortune Clock” with the twelve numbers replaced by the words “fortunate”, “joyful”, “cheerful”, “casual elegant”, “delightful”, “amicable”, “bright”, “lucky”, “guileless”, “faithful”, “free” and “actualized.” It is a “clock” that hopes to engender a sense of happiness and well-being every hour of the day.

Passing through the Gateway of the Universal Family is a broad avenue known as Fortune Boulevard. Various bluestone or bronze smiling statues of Maitreya Buddha, Guanyin, and Mazu line either side, welcoming visiting guests. The boulevard leads into Fortune Square, which has a capacity of twenty thousand people for large-scale events. The square is surrounded by hundreds of native Taiwanese white pine trees, seen as symbols of longevity, prosperity, and perseverance.

The architectural designs of the main shrine and the Hall of Holy Antecedents which stands behind it are a combination of both Chinese and Western architecture. The roof eaves, for example, follow a traditional Chinese design based on the character “人” (rénzìyán) while the columns are a stylized version of Greek Corinthian columns. A large amount of glass tile and bronze latticework is also used to engender both cultural and artistic beauty. Unlike the complicated decorations of traditional Buddhist and Taoist temple architecture, Nature Loving Wonderland uses simple lines to express harmony and unity with nature. It integrates the essential elements of a variety of architectural styles and combines traditional, modern, organic, and environmentally friendly design with religious concepts and the culture of Maitreya Great Tao.

Standing above the Universal Family Cultural Exhibition Center is a large statue of Maitreya Buddha, a landmark of Emei Township in Hsinchu County. The statue measures 56.7 meters tall with a 15.3-meter-tall base, totaling 72 meters in all. The pure bronze statue is the tallest bronze statue of a Buddha not only in the country, but also in the whole world. He holds the planet Earth in his right hand and prayer beads in his left hand. The medallion on his necklace is inscribed with the word “kindness” (cí) as a reminder to everyone to love and protect the Earth, and to respect and value all living things. The Universal Family Cultural Exhibition Center housed in the building beneath the statue contains a “nature-loving choir”—eleven lovely small bronze statues of Maitreya Buddha singing out their love of nature. The statues, including an elegant horse-riding Maitreya Buddha and another one playing an instrument, form an interesting tableau.

Inside the main hall is a fifteen meter tall statue of a sitting Maitreya Buddha. The wall behind it is made of beige-colored Egyptian stone to symbolize the widespread kindliness of the Maitreya Buddha. The high ceiling and stylized Corinthian columns create a spectacular feeling of space and magnificence. On top of the main hall is a transparent conical dome, nearly fifty meters above ground. An ancient Chinese character, “柬” (jiǎn), cast in bronze, measures seven meters in length. During the Shang Dynasty (1558 BCE – 1046 BCE), this character represented the God of Enlightenment (míngmíng shàngdì), believed to be the origin of all life and the heavenly mother of all human beings.

Nature Loving Wonderland mainly worships Maitreya Buddha. In order to ensure that each visitor can experience the special joy one feels when seeing Maitreya Buddha, there are hundreds of sculptures of Maitreya Buddha made from Chinese yew, teak, and camphor inside the Maitreya Hall of Varied Portrayals. Some are paired with words of advice or warning. The multitudinous sculptures of the Maitreya Buddha impart a sense of joy to visitors to the hall.