Taipei Tianhou Temple Introduction
Taipei Tianhou Temple, commonly known as "Ximending Mazu Temple," is dedicated to Ma Zu, the Heavenly Mother. It is located on Chengdu Road in Wanhua District, Taipei City, Taiwan. Built in 1746 by local merchants (originally named Xinxing Temple), it was regarded as one of the three major temples in Monga during the Qing Dynasty, alongside Longshan Temple and Zushi Temple. In 1943, due to road widening on Xiyuan Road, it was demolished, and the statue was moved to Longshan Temple. In 1948, devotees retrieved the temporarily housed statue of the Heavenly Mother from Longshan Temple and reestablished it in Hongfa Temple, located at the intersection of Chengdu Road's northern side and Xining South Road. Originally established by Japanese people during the Japanese occupation, Hongfa Temple was destroyed by fire after the war, and the main hall was rebuilt and renamed "Taiwan Province Tianhou Temple," which was soon changed to "Taipei Tianhou Temple," marking a tumultuous history. Mazu is regarded as the guardian deity of the sea. Early Taiwan relied on the ocean for sustenance, with immigration from the southeastern coast facilitating development, leading to population centers near harbors. Temples, including Mazu temples, were often built by rivers, facing the hills across the river, to bless every fisherman and maritime immigrant with safety. At the entrance of the temple, there is an ancient bell on the dragon side, which bears inscriptions indicating the temple was originally named "Xinxing Temple," built in 1792 (the 57th year of Qianlong) in Wuxi, Jiangsu. On the tiger side of the entrance is an "Eight Immortals Incense Burner and Hall Shrine," originally the shrine of Xinxing Temple, carved by a master from Tangshan in 1820. Since 1973, Koyasan Kongobu-ji and its Tokyo branch have sent high monks to Taipei Tianhou Temple annually from October to December to conduct pilgrimages and Buddhist ceremonies. The main deity of Taipei Tianhou Temple is Mazu, and the accompanying deity is Kōbō Daishi. Taipei Tianhou Temple is the only temple in Taiwan that enshrines Kōbō Daishi, making it a popular destination for Japanese tourists who come to pay their respects.
