Spectral Codex
十八羅漢洞

Eighteen Arhats Cave

Locations

Located on the flank of Yunlong Mountain (雲龍山) in eastern Keelung, Eighteen Arhats Cave (十八羅漢洞) was established in 1971 as an outgrowth of the nearby Shengji Temple, and likely occupies a former World War 2 bunker once manned by Japanese troops. Both initiatives were funded by Guo Yushui (郭玉水), a member of the local gentry from a family of Chinese medicine practitioners who later moved into local politics. It was a popular spot for domestic tourism in the 1970s, enshrining the eponymous arhats as well as numerous other deities and legendary figures.

Eighteen Arhats Cave (十八羅漢洞) in 2016
Date Captured
Camera
NIKON D3100
Lens
AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II
Aperture
ƒ / 3.5
Shutter Speed
1/30 sec
Focal Length
18.0 mm
ISO
280
Exposure Value
8.5 EV
Download
3600 × 2400
The entrance to Eighteen Arhats Cave in 2016.
The Sealed Entrance to Eighteen Arhats Cave (十八羅漢洞)
Date Captured
Camera
NIKON D3100
Lens
AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II
Aperture
ƒ / 3.5
Shutter Speed
1/30 sec
Focal Length
18.0 mm
ISO
720
Exposure Value
8.5 EV
Download
3600 × 2400
A tantalizing mystery sealed with bricks.
Thousand-Hand Guanyin Above The Eighteen Arhats Cave (十八羅漢洞)
Date Captured
Camera
NIKON D3100
Lens
AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II
Aperture
ƒ / 7.1
Shutter Speed
1/200 sec
Focal Length
20.0 mm
ISO
200
Exposure Value
13.3 EV
Download
3600 × 2400
Oversize statues of Thousand-armed Guanyin (千手觀音) flanked by Jintong (金童) and Yunu (玉女).
Outside The Eighteen Arhats Cave (十八羅漢洞)
Date Captured
Camera
NIKON D3100
Lens
AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II
Aperture
ƒ / 7.1
Shutter Speed
1/200 sec
Focal Length
18.0 mm
ISO
200
Exposure Value
13.3 EV
Download
3600 × 2400
The Goddess of Mercy and the servants of the immortals.
Above The Eighteen Arhats Cave (十八羅漢洞)
Date Captured
Camera
NIKON D3100
Lens
AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II
Aperture
ƒ / 6.3
Shutter Speed
1/160 sec
Focal Length
40.0 mm
ISO
200
Exposure Value
12.6 EV
Download
3600 × 2400
A closer look at the largest of the statues.
Stripped Bare Outside The Eighteen Arhats Cave (十八羅漢洞)
Date Captured
Camera
DC-S5M2
Lens
LUMIX S 20-60mm F3.5-5.6
Aperture
ƒ / 3.5
Shutter Speed
1/60 sec
Focal Length
20.0 mm
ISO
200
Exposure Value
9.5 EV
Download
3600 × 2400
Much of what remained of the site was dismantled in late 2022.
Inside The Eighteen Arhats Cave (十八羅漢洞)
Date Captured
Camera
DC-S5M2
Lens
LUMIX S 20-60mm F3.5-5.6
Aperture
ƒ / 3.5
Shutter Speed
1/40 sec
Focal Length
20.0 mm
ISO
6400
Exposure Value
8.9 EV
Download
3600 × 2400
A first glance inside the claustrophobic confines of the cave. The nooks on either side once held statues of the titular Eighteen Arhats, which were all relocated to Shengji Temple prior to the cave being sealed.
Mazu Inside Inside The Eighteen Arhats Cave (十八羅漢洞)
Date Captured
Camera
DC-S5M2
Lens
LUMIX S 20-60mm F3.5-5.6
Aperture
ƒ / 3.5
Shutter Speed
1/60 sec
Focal Length
20.0 mm
ISO
3200
Exposure Value
9.5 EV
Download
3600 × 2400
A depiction of Mazu and her demonic helpers within the tunnel complex.
Warning:

Warning: this location is abandoned, hazardous, or otherwise neglected and may be unsafe and even dangerous! Exercise appropriate precautions when visiting.

警告：此處已廢棄或長期無人管理，可能存在潛在危險。造訪時請務必提高警覺，並做好相關安全防護措施。

Info:

Note: this entry contains only basic information and may be out of date, inaccurate, or even wrong. Additional research is strongly recommended.

說明：本條目僅提供基礎資訊，內容可能過時、未經查證，甚至有誤。建議進一步查閱相關資料，以確認資訊的正確性。

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Profile photo of Alexander Synaptic, founder of Spectral Codex
Alexander Synaptic
Curator, Spectral Codex

I am a web application developer, photojournalist, urban explorer, and history enthusiast passionate about the open web and documenting my experiences on this planet. This project was founded in the early 2010s and has evolved into a sort of personal Wikipedia of places that interest me (and often the photographs I’ve taken there). I’m originally from Toronto, Canada, but spend most of my time residing in Taiwan.