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 approximately 46 pings. Although it does not have a grand temple appearance, it has a wide circle of devotees and is known for its bustling incense offerings. Every time the festival of welcoming the gods is held, it becomes a lively local event, closely related to the development of Dadaocheng. The temple primarily enshrines Xiahai City God, along with the two judges (civil and martial), Generals Xie and Fan (also known as the Seven and Eight Lords), and worships a total of thirty-eight righteous figures, including the City God’s wife, eight officials, eight generals, the horseman, and the Old Man Under the Moon. This famous ancient temple currently houses around 200 statues, making it one of the densest places for religious idols in Taiwan. Among the attractions for tourists, besides the City God, is the worship of the Old Man Under the Moon. Each year, over 6,000 couples bring offerings of rice cakes to show their gratitude, with the most sought-after item being the "Husband's Shoes" (also known as "Happy Shoes"), a famous love talisman in Taipei. On average, more than 200 families visit Xiahai City God Temple annually to "ask for shoes." It is said that the City God and his wife have an age difference of about 70 years, and under the theme of "an old man loves a younger wife," the people firmly believe this pair of "divine couple" can bring happiness to families, thus creating the legend of the "Husband's Shoes." There is also a miraculous story associated with the temple. In 1884, during the Sino-French War, when French troops attacked Taiwan, the people of Taipei prayed earnestly for the protection of Xiahai City God. The City God indeed displayed his divine power, and ultimately the French army was only able to reach Wudu before being defeated, failing to occupy Taipei. Therefore, the local people respectfully refer to Xiahai City God as Weiling Gong.
