The Taoist Zhinan Temple in southern Taipei has revived a 14-year-old plan to build a large charnel house, triggering strong opposition from neighborhood residents and business owners who fear the project would hurt tourism and tea farms.
Lin Cheng-chi (林正吉), general-secretary of the temple’s management committee, confirmed yesterday that the charnel house project will get underway as soon as the funding comes through. Lin said the charnel house will be large enough to hold 10,000 urns — at an average price of NT$100,000 each.
PERMISSION
Lin said that the temple had obtained permission from the Taipei City Government in 1994 to build the charnel house, but lack of funds had forced it to postpone the project.
Area residents said that they had fought the project for more than 10 years but had held off in the last few years because it appeared that the temple would not be able to afford the project.
“If the temple wants to revive the project, many new residents, business owners and development groups will no doubt join us — the original residents — in trying to stop it,” said a resident surnamed Chang.
BAD FOR BUSINESS
“Imagine the eerie feelings tourists would have if they see a large charnel house located in the middle of the Maokong scenic area,” he said.
Tourism in Maokong, a renowned tea-drinking center, got a boost with the opening last year of the Maokong Gondola, a cable car system connecting the Taipei Zoo and the Maokong district.
The cable car system starts at Taipei City Zoo and ends at Maokong, with intermediate stops inside the zoo and at the Zhihan Temple.
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