Taipei Tianhou Temple Introduction
Taipei Tianhou Temple, commonly known as "Ximending Mazu Temple," is dedicated to the Heavenly Queen, Mazu. It is located on Chengdu Road in Wanhua District, Taipei City, Taiwan. Established in 1746 by local merchants (then called Xinxing Palace), it is one of the three major temples of Monga during the Qing Dynasty, along with Longshan Temple and Zushi Temple. In 1943, the temple was demolished due to the widening of Xiyuan Road, and its idol was temporarily housed at Longshan Temple. In 1948, devotees retrieved the statue of the Heavenly Queen and enshrined it at "Kōbō Temple," situated near the intersection of Chengdu Road and Xining South Road. This Kōbō Temple was originally built during the Japanese occupation. After it was destroyed by fire post-war, the main hall of Xinxing Palace Kōbō Temple was renovated and renamed "Taiwan Province Tianhou Temple," later changing to "Taipei Tianhou Temple," marking its tumultuous history. Mazu is regarded as the guardian deity of the sea. Early Taiwan relied heavily on the ocean for sustenance, and immigrants from the southeastern coast came to Taiwan across the sea, creating villages near the docks. Temples were commonly built by riversides, which is why many ports have Mazu temples, facing across the river towards the hills, hoping to bless every fisherman and maritime immigrant with safety. At the entrance of the temple, there is an ancient bell placed on the dragon side, and its inscription reveals that it was known as "Xinxing Palace" during the Qing Dynasty, cast in 1792 (the 57th year of Qianlong) in Wuxi, Jiangsu. On the tiger side of the entrance, there is the "Eight Immortals Incense Burner and Shrine," originally the shrine of Xinxing Palace, carved by a master craftsman from Tangshan in 1820. Since 1973, Koyasan Kongobu-ji and its Tokyo branch have sent high monks to Taipei Tianhou Temple to conduct pilgrimage ceremonies between October and December each year. The main deity of Taipei Tianhou Temple is Mazu, with Kōbō Daishi as the accompanying deity. Taipei Tianhou Temple is the only temple in Taiwan that enshrines Kōbō Daishi, which attracts many Japanese tourists who come specifically to pay their respects.
