6 Temples to Visit in Taipei
Religious buildings are must-sees when visiting a new city. Take Taipei for example. You probably plan to see a lot of temples here. But to be honest, they look more or less the same on the outside. If you have no idea who it is devoted to, you wouldn’t have a whole picture of the temple. Yes, architecture is an important part of a temple. But the myths and the rituals are what bring the place to life.
The folk religion in Taiwan is introduced by the early Chinese immigrants. It works like the Olympus in ancient Greek religion. Every god/goddess has his/her specialty. It means that there are different gods to go to when you wish for different things. There is Tiangong (天公, the Sky Lord), the god of all gods like Zeus, ruling the sky.
Learn more about the history of Chinese immigrants
Below are some of the major temples in town. I highlight the host, or the “main gods” as we describe in Mandarin and Taiwanese, of each temple to come up with a guide to making wishes.
Xingtian Temple 行天宮
As one of the busiest temple in Taipei, Xingtian Temple is surprisingly young. It was first built in only 1943 at DaDaoCheng (大稻埕, the old Taipei) and then moved to the city center 20 years later. The main god of this temple, however, has been popular in the Chinese-speaking world for a long time.
Xingtian Temple is dedicated to Guanyu (關羽), a general in ancient China who best embodied bravery and loyalty. Since he was a warrior, Guanyu is popular among soldiers and police officers. Businessmen also worship him as the business world is more or less like a battlefield. If you want a better career, Guanyu is the one to ask for help.
A fun fact of Xingtian Temple is that it completely removed essence burners. They did this in the hope of reducing air pollution. I doubt how much it could help. I mean, can essence burners be the main reason for bad air quality?
@How do I get there? MRT Orange Line Xingtian Tepmle Station exit no.3
Taipei Confucius Temple 台北孔廟
While Guanyu is the god of war, Confucius (孔夫子) is considered the god of literature and wisdom. As confusing as his name sounds, Confucius is not exactly a “god.”It’s better to describe him as a great philosopher.
However, since Confucianism deeply influences the Chinese-speaking world, it does feel like a religion in some ways. Sometimes people come here to wish for a good grade.
The standard structure of a Confucius temple includes a wall and a stage. The tall wall is a symbol of Confucius’s invincible wisdom. The stage is where students dance to celebrate Confucius’s birthday.
@How do I get there? MRT Red Line Yuanshan Station exit no.2
Baoan Temple 保安宮
Baoan Temple is right next to Taipei Confucius Temple. It is dedicated to Baosheng Emperor (保生大帝). There’s a story about him curing a dragon’s injured eye and moving the stick away from a tiger’s throat, making Baosheng Emperor the god of medicine.
The early Chinese immigrants brought him from Fujian in the 16th century. When they first moved to Taipei, they suffered from the plague here. The whole purpose of building the temple and worshipping Baoan Emperor was to stop the plague.
Baoan Temple started as a small wooden shrine in 1742 and expanded to the size as it is now. In 1995, the temple was under renovation. The construction managed to repair its exterior and preserve its artworks including dragon columns and the fragmented ceramic at the same time. As a result, Baoan Temple was into the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Award of Culture Heritage Conservation.
@How do I get there? MRT Red Line Yuanshan Station exit no.2
Ciyou Temple 慈祐宮
Raohe Night Market is one of the most famous night markets in Taipei. While enjoying pepper buns (胡椒餅), the signature street snack here, don’t forget to visit Ciyou Temple at the end of the night market.
Ciyou temple was first built in the 18th century devoted to Mazu (媽祖), the goddess of the sea. The early Chinese immigrants had to go across the dangerous Taiwan Strait to get to the island. Those who made it here thanked Mazu for her blessing. As a grateful gesture, they built her a temple.
Mazu is no doubt the most popular goddess in Taiwan due to the nature of an island. When there were no airplanes, people came and left by boats. Now, people come to Mazu not just to wish for a safe trip but for pretty much everything. There are a lot of temples devoted to her throughout the island. In fact, one of the biggest festivals in Taiwan is her birthday.
@How do I get there? MRT Green Line Songshan Station exit no.1
Xiahai Chenghuang Temple 霞海城隍廟
In the Taiwanese folk religion, Chenghuang (城隍) is like a sheriff of the other side of the world. He runs the area and is responsible for keeping the peace. Chenghuangs are those who used to contribute to the neighborhood when they were alive. After they died, people made them gods.
While the main deity of this temple is Chenghuang, he is not the reason why people come here. Most of the people visiting this temple are looking for the Elder Under The Moon (月下老人).
Elder Under The Moon is the god of love. Unlike his western counterpart Cupid, he is much laid-back. He uses red strings instead of bows and arrows as his tool to tie you and your right one. Everyone visiting the temple can ask a piece of red string from him as long as he allows. If you accidentally lose it, you might find your love very soon.
@How do I get there? MRT Green Line Beimen Station exit no.3
Or take TourMeAway Vintage Tour. We’ll take you there!
Longshan Templen 龍山寺
Longshan Temple is located in Manga (艋舺), where Taipei City started. Guanyin (觀音), the main goddess here, seems to have the superpower to survive typhoon, earthquake, and even airstrikes during World War II.
Unlike the hosts in the temples above, Guanyin is a Buddhism goddess.When Buddhism was first introduced to China, all deities were with male images, including Guanyin. It wasn’t until around 1,000 AD did Guanyin “became a woman.” Since Guanyin represent mercy, the Chinese thought a female image might be more suitable.
The fact that Guanyin is the host makes Longshan Temple a combination of Buddhism and Taoism. Buddhism deities are in the lobby, whereas Taoism gods/goddess are in the backyard. They enjoy their own spaces and have no problem living with neighbors.
@How do I get there? MRT Blue Line Longshan Station exit no.1
Or take TourMeAway Longshan TempleTour. We’ll take you there!
I think it’s fair to say that Longshan Temple, as well as the wold of Taiwanese folk religion, is a buffet of blessings. Actually, most of the temples in Taiwan are like this. Every aspects of life they get you covered. It is not an obligation to go to temples every week. Instead, it’s always open to whoever in need.
For those who can read Mandarin, feel free to visit my Mandarin Blog: Donna Wang, 多拿王拿很多
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