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. It was founded in 1746 by local merchants and was originally called Xinxing Temple. Along with Longshan Temple and Zushiz Temple, it is one of the three major temples in Mǒngjiā during the Qing Dynasty in Taiwan. In 1943, it was demolished due to the widening of Xiyuan Road, and the deity was temporarily enshrined in Longshan Temple. In 1948, devotees took the Heavenly Queen statue from Longshan Temple to be enshrined at Hongfa Temple, which was built by the Japanese during their occupation. After a fire destroyed Hongfa Temple post-war, the main hall of Xinxing Temple was renovated and renamed "Taiwan Province Tianhou Temple," and shortly after, it was renamed "Taipei Tianhou Temple," reflecting a convoluted history. Mazu is regarded as the guardian deity of the sea. In the early days, Taiwan depended on the ocean for sustenance, and many people crossed the sea from the southeastern coast for pioneering efforts in Taiwan. Temples dedicated to Mazu were often built at ports and riverbanks, facing the mountains across the river to pray for the safety of sailors and immigrants. At the entrance of the temple, there is an ancient bell located on the dragon side, with inscriptions indicating that it was built in the Qing Dynasty when it was known as "Xinxing Temple," cast in 1792 (57th year of Qianlong) in Wuxi, Jiangsu. On the tiger side at the entrance, there is a "Eight Immortals Incense Burner Hall" with deities and "Eight Immortals Lotus Wood Candles," originally part of the Xinxing Temple shrine and carved by a master craftsman in 1820. Since 1973, the Koyasan Kongōbu-ji and Tokyo branch have sent high monks to Taipei Tianhou Temple annually from October to December to hold pilgrimage ceremonies. Mazu is the main deity of Taipei Tianhou Temple, accompanied by Master Kōbō Daishi, making it the only temple in Taiwan that venerates him, which attracts many Japanese tourists to visit.
