Tucheng Zhengtong Leermun Mazu Temple Introduction
Tainan is the birthplace of Taiwan, and the Zheng Tong Luermen Mom Temple has origins dating back to before the 16th century, built in honor of the Mazu of Luermen. It is the only temple in Taiwan that enshrines the Luermen Mazu statue with over 800 years of history and has the largest architectural area dedicated to Mazu. Currently, the temple is divided into several halls: the Five Kings Hall, the Mazu Hall, the Buddha Hall, the Dashi Hall, and the Tiangu Hall, all modeled after the palace style of the Zijin City architecture. Every year, a series of New Year Carnival activities are held starting from the first day of the lunar New Year, along with the Lantern Festival fireworks display, firecracker performances, and the Spring Cow Parade, attracting crowds of visitors! In addition to these activities, the celebration of Luermen Mazu's birthday on the 23rd day of the third lunar month includes rice donations for the poor and free tastings of milkfish dishes. The triennial Doucheng Wangjiao ceremony is held in years of the Dog, Dragon, Sheep, and Boar. Furthermore, the temple features the Fude Qian, a cultural relic museum, a creative center, and a building for worshippers, balancing culture, tourism, cuisine, leisure, and charity, making the Zheng Tong Luermen Mom Temple a top tourist site in the Tainan area. Overview of the history of the Luermen Tianhou Temple: In 1661 (the 15th year of the Ming Yongli era), the Luermen Mazu showed her divine spirit to assist Zheng Chenggong by raising the tide to facilitate his army's entry into Taiwan to defeat the Dutch forces. In 1662, after the Dutch surrender, Zheng Chenggong rebuilt the temple to honor the Luermen Mazu and added the worship of the military protectors, both civil and martial, and the National Saint Mazu. Luermen gradually became a gateway to Taiwan, emerging as an important military and commercial hub, and the status of Luermen Mazu became even more exalted, frequently performing miraculous deeds. In 1831 (the 11th year of the Daoguang era), the temple was destroyed by flooding from the Zengwen River, and the deities were temporarily enshrined in the Sanjiao Haian Temple. In 1918 (the 7th year of the Republic), the second construction of the temple was completed, and over seventy deities, including the Luermen Mazu previously enshrined in Haian Temple, were welcomed back for worship. In 1913 (the 2nd year of the Taisho era), a ship carrying deities from Quanzhou's Fumei Palace docked off the dangerous Taiwan Strait, and the deities were invited by Mazu to protect the people, prompting the locals of Doucheng to build a palace for worship. In 1916 (the 5th year of the Taisho era), the deities that had been temporarily enshrined in the Sanjiao Zhen'gang Haian Temple due to the flooding of the old temple were welcomed back. In 1918 (the 7th year of the Taisho era), the second temple was completed and named Bao'an Palace, which was renamed as the Luermen Mom Temple in 1960. In 1981, after several repairs and reconstructions, under the protection of Mazu, the third temple was finally completed.
