Xiahai City God Temple Introduction
Xiahai City God Temple, located on Section 1 of Dihua Street, was built in 1856 (the sixth year of the Xianfeng era) and covers an area of about 46 ping. Although it does not have a grand appearance, it has a wide circle of devotees and is bustling with incense offerings. Every time there is a deity welcoming event, it becomes a lively local affair closely tied to the development of Dadaocheng. The temple primarily enshrines Xiahai City God, alongside the two judges (Wen and Wu) and Generals Xie and Fan (the seventh and eighth generals), and the thirty-eight heroic figures. It also features the City God's wife, the eight officials, the eight generals, the horseman, and the old man under the moon, among others. This famous ancient temple currently houses around 200 idols, making it one of the densest places for deities in Taiwan. In addition to the City God, the most attractive aspect for tourists is the worship of the Old Man under the Moon, with over 6,000 couples expressing gratitude each year. Among these, the most sought-after item is the "Husband-Taming Shoes" (also known as Happiness Shoes), a famous "love amulet" in Taipei, with more than 200 families visiting Xiahai City God Temple annually to "seek shoes." It is said that the City God and his wife have an age difference of about 70 years, leading people to believe that this "celestial couple" can bring happiness to families, thus creating the origin of the "Husband-Taming Shoes." There is also a miraculous story associated with the City God Temple. In 1884, during the Sino-French War, the French army attacked Taiwan, and Taipei residents earnestly prayed for the protection of Xiahai City God. Indeed, the City God demonstrated his divine powers, and the French army was ultimately defeated at Wudu, failing to occupy Taipei, hence the folk respect for Xiahai City God as the "Divine Protector."
