Lotus Pond (蓮池潭) in Zuoying is a lake lined with temples and pavilions, and the place for Kaohsiung's most photographed sight: the Dragon and Tiger Pagodas. Next to it are the walls of the Qing-era Old City of Fongshan County, the first stone city wall in Taiwan. The lake is open all the time and free. The closest station is TRA Zuoying, about 550 m away.
- Hours Scenic area open 24 hours
- Entry Free
- Address Liantan Rd., Zuoying District
- Station TRA Zuoying, about 550 m. MRT Ecological District (R15), about 1 km
The Dragon and Tiger Pagodas
The Dragon and Tiger Pagodas (龍虎塔), built in 1976, are a pair of seven-storey towers on the water, joined to the shore by a zigzag bridge. Custom says you walk in through the dragon's mouth and out through the tiger's. They're run by Zuoying's Chengyi Cih-Tsi Temple (城邑慈濟宮), founded in 1719. After almost two years of repairs, the interior reopened on 13 April 2025, with brighter night lighting and story panels in several languages.
Around the lake
- Spring and Autumn Pavilions (春秋閣), about 700 m north of the pagodas: two octagonal towers dedicated to Guan Gong, with a statue of Guanyin riding a dragon in front.
- Qiming Hall (啟明堂), founded in 1899, open 04:00 to 21:30.
- The Confucius Temple (孔廟) at the north end, built in 1976 in Song-dynasty style and described by the city as the largest in Taiwan. Open Tuesday to Sunday, 09:00 to 17:00.
A path now runs right round the lake, finished in 2026 as part of a NT$127.5 million upgrade.
The Old City walls
The Old City of Fongshan County (鳳山縣舊城) was the seat of the Qing government's Fongshan County from 1684. Its earth wall, put up after an uprising in 1721, was the first city wall in Taiwan, rebuilt in coral stone in 1826. It's a national monument. The North Gate is fully intact, and the East and South Gates survive too. Open daily.
Good to know: in October the Zuoying Wannian Folklore Festival fills Lotus Pond and the Confucius Temple with parades and fire lions. In 2026 it ran from 7 to 11 October.
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Sources: Kaohsiung Travel (Lotus Pond, Confucius Temple, Old City); station distances and the pavilions: Taiwan Tourism Administration; pagoda reopening: Liberty Times; lake path: UDN; Old City history: Taipei Times; festival: Liberty Times. Checked October 2026.