Duchenghuang Temple Introduction
The belief in City God has a long history in China. Originally, it served as the guardian deity of cities, but gradually evolved into a manager of the underworld, commanding ghostly messengers who reward good and punish evil. As a result, many people have a spooky and terrifying impression of City God temples. However, for Taiwanese people who emphasize the importance of remembering and honoring their ancestors, the City God can be seen as a medium for communicating between the realms of the living and the dead. This connection allows us to have a closer bond with our ancestors who are in the other world. In the early days after Taiwan’s restoration, a group of local individuals from Hsinchu and Miaoli settled in Pingtung for business and invited the City God to be their guardian deity. However, since the deity had to be returned periodically to its original temple in Hsinchu, it was quite inconvenient. Therefore, the worshippers decided to carve their own statue for veneration and built the temple in 1964, which was reconstructed to its present form in 1986. The Tucheng City God Temple consists of two buildings, with the main temple dedicating to the City God, and the newly completed hall in 2006 worshipping the Five Route Wealth Gods and the Tai Sui Star Lord, among others. Both buildings are four stories tall and boast magnificent and majestic appearances. Every year, from the 11th day of the 5th lunar month, a three-day Ritual of Peace and Fight is held, along with the Universal Salvation Ritual from July 8 to 10, which are the two major annual events for the temple.
