Xinhaitang Wang Temple Introduction
The Eighteenth Wang Gong Temple is located on a hillside and is most famous for the Eighteenth Loyal Hound Wang Gong, reminiscent of Taiwan's version of Hachiko. The new Eighteenth Wang Gong Temple is not far from the old one, and its most notable feature is a statue of a "Black Dragon Loyal Dog" that stands about ten stories tall beside the temple. During the era when "Dajia Le" and "Lotto" were popular, the divine predictions of the Eighteenth Wang Gong Temple attracted many players from across Taiwan, and to this day, worshippers continue to visit in large numbers. There is a touching story behind the Eighteenth Wang Gong Temple: it is said that during the mid-Qing Dynasty, seventeen merchants from Tangshan sailed to Taiwan but unfortunately perished at sea, and their loyal dog also died with them. When the villagers discovered this, they built a mound for the dog and the seventeen merchants together. It is said that the Eighteenth Wang Gong has a fondness for smoking, so some believers offer cigarettes as tribute, which is quite an interesting phenomenon in the temple. After nightfall, devotees gather in large numbers, and the incense offerings are abundant, creating a spectacular scene.
