Qijin Tianhou Temple Introduction
The Qijin Tianhou Temple, located in the bustling area of Qijin District, Kaohsiung City, has a history of worshipping the sea goddess Mazu for over 300 years. According to historical records, in 1673, a fishing villager from Fujian named Xu Ahua was swept to Qijin by a hurricane and settled there. He later invited six fellow villagers and welcomed a spirit of Mazu from Meizhou to Taiwan, making it the first Mazu temple in Taiwan and also the oldest temple in Kaohsiung. The temple has undergone several renovations, and the current structure of the Tianhou Temple is based on the rebuilding done in 1926. The architecture of the Tianhou Temple is characterized as South Chinese temple architecture, featuring two halls, five doors, and two protective rooms. The roof is styled with a swallowtail ridge and decorated with twin dragons embracing the immortal, filled with intricate wood carvings, stone carvings, colorful sculptures, and cut clay, all exhibiting a unique rustic charm while being lively and vivid. Significant painted artworks in the temple, such as door gods, beams, murals, reliefs, and flat paintings, are all created by the master painter Chen Yufeng. The various exquisite crafts are the result of the wisdom of master craftsmen, making the entire temple a treasure of art worth appreciating. Within the temple that has passed down over 300 years of incense smoke, there are several important relics, such as the Mazu statue brought from Tangshan in 1673, the stone carvings of General Tiger, the ballast stones used for crossing the sea, and a stone incense burner; a copper bell from 1886; and two stone tablets documenting the historical background of that time. The Tianhou Temple is not only a gathering center for local faith in Kaohsiung but also represents the historical trajectory of the ancestors who crossed the sea to cultivate and develop Taiwan over three centuries. Amid the swirling incense, the unchanging aspect is Mazu's guardianship of humanity and the preservation and transmission of traditional folk arts, all of which are worthy of our heartfelt appreciation and eternal legacy.
