Luerhmen Mazu Temple Introduction
Luerhmen Cultural Dream, Continuing the Passion of the Cultural Season Originally, Luerhmen referred to a channel and was the main shipping route in Taiwan, known as the "throat of Taiwan" and "two rivers," historically referred to as "Heavenly Fortress." It was a strategic location contested by many military factions and served as the import and export point for "salt, sugar, textiles, and goods" across Taiwan, with the goddess Mazu blessing smooth navigation. However, after multiple natural disasters, the Taiwan Strait transformed into muddy land, leading to the loss of port functions and the decline of the settlements, reverting into a small fishing village, with the Mazu Temple also collapsing. After the establishment of the Republic of China, Taiwan’s economy revived, leading to the reconstruction of the area to its current state. The Mazu statue enshrined in the Luerhmen Mazu Temple is carved from the precious "Xuanzhi wood" from the mainland. The temple's structure is magnificent and grand, showcasing the beauty of Chinese temple architecture, including the dragon pillars at the front gate, door gods, dougong brackets, the artistic cut tile work on the roof ridge, Cochi pottery, temple wall carvings, zhaojing ceilings, corridors, and courtyards—all worthy of careful exploration. Every year, from the 12th month of the lunar calendar to March of the following year, the Luerhmen Mazu Temple holds a cultural season that features rich and distinctive content, primarily divided into nine major parts: cultural rituals, religious beliefs, old fishing village customs, rural nostalgia, origins of the Taiwan river, public opinion square, passing of the torch, cultural camps, and printing and issuing cultural publications. These cultural activities, which integrate folk arts, humanities, religion, and natural ecology, are held over a four-month period, with about 70 dynamic and static exhibitions planned annually by the temple management committee, connecting people to the sentiments of history and local culture, rekindling long-dormant enthusiasm, and enriching their inner lives and spirit. (This information is referenced from the Luerhmen Mazu Temple website.)
