Dharma Drum Mountain Nung Chan Monastery

Unclaimed

Its a nice place but … its a temple. Dont expect much enjoyment. A few flower spots etc but nothing special to see here. The water space (dk what they call it) was supposed to have good reflections etc for photos but didint get any. I guess because of the cloudy weather.. dk The monks here, however, are nice and very kind.

peaceful, what this place is. a totally different energy compared with the bustled historical temples of Taipei. here you really recharge your personal battery

The monastery is peaceful to visit. Many come to seek calmness, practising meditation. The hall is big to let you pray with respect to Buddha. One of the roof buildings is craved with diamond sutta verse. The whole script fully covered the roof area. There are many people who come to join their activities, eg. Meditation, dhamma talk, and etc.

Beautiful minimalist architecture unlike other monasteries I have visited, usually not minimalist. At the entrance you will see full Chinese character carvings on the top of the building which I thought what an effort! I visited the place at the right time during the golden hour and the view was amazing. There is a large empty field behind with a view of the mountain. I have recommended this place to many people but when once I invited a group to visit this place, it turned out that the weather was grayish and the view wasn't flattering. So I recommend going here on a sunny day during the golden hour.

I came to Nung Chan Monastery as a traveler, a seeker, and a man healing from both visible and invisible wounds. What I found here was not only peace, but practice — the kind that refines the soul not through doctrine, but through silence, structure, and presence. Set beside a quiet pool that mirrors the sky, Nung Chan is both a physical and spiritual reflection — of nature, of discipline, of the self. It teaches not through loud declarations but through gentle invitation: to sit, to breathe, to return. The monks and volunteers embody humility and clarity. Their manner is soft, but their practice is strong. The atmosphere is not just serene, it is intentional. This is not a tourist attraction, though many may come. It is a functioning monastery, grounded in the lineage of Chan (Zen) master Sheng Yen, whose teachings resonate in the very air here. The Way is always right under our feet — if we are quiet enough to feel it. Whether you're Buddhist or not, whether you seek answers or simply silence, I believe this place offers a rare gift: the space to meet yourself honestly. For that, I am deeply grateful. “The water reflects the moon, but it does not hold it.” — That’s the kind of wisdom Nung Chan quietly shares.