A new art exhibit in Tainan is all the rage. But so many people are trying to visit that many are getting turned away. Now a temple located an hour from the museum is getting some of the exhibit’s overflow.
The Tainan Art Museum’s new exhibit “Ghosts And Hells: The underworld in Asian Art” is a hit. The exhibit explores the fears and imaginations of the unknown world in Asia. But its popularity has forced the museum to implement visitor controls.
Museum representative Wu Tai-fang says starting July 1 the museum will only let in 300 visitors each hour. Visitors will also have to make a reservation ahead of time.
The new limits have caused some to change their plans. Now netizens are recommending that people unable to visit the museum go to a local temple to get a similar experience.
Daitian Temple in Tainan’s Madou District has a section called the “18 hells.” In it, visitors can go through a 75 meter long, 7 meter tall dragon. They can also witness carved statues of ghouls demonstrating the guilt of sinners. Figures in the display suddenly turn and shout, startling visitors.
One visitor says he came after seeing too many people at the museum. He says the experience at the temple is refreshing.
The temple in Maodou, a 50 minute car ride from the museum, has seen an explosion in visitors. On weekends it’s now seeing over 1000 guests per day.
Temple employee Lin Chun-chieh says he’s heard visitors say they came to the temple after being turned away from the museum exhibit.
Many are saying an art exhibit bringing new visitors to a temple shows the power of the internet. But it also shows the uniqueness of Taiwanese culture.