Bao-An Temple

Taipei's Top Three Temples (台北三大廟門)

Modern Taiwan is a mixed bag of many different ethnicities, cultural influences, traditions and histories, but one of the uniting factors that brings people together is that of the deep-rooted spiritual and religious traditions practiced by the people across the nation.

As visitors to this beautiful island nation, whatever past experiences you may have had while traveling in other countries, or any preconceived notions may have about the combination of tourism and religion, you really don’t have to worry about any of these things when you’re here. If you take the time to visit any place of worship in this country, you’ll never have to fear being approached by weirdos wanting to convert you, nor will anyone ever hit you up for donations.

For the people of Taiwan, spirituality is something that is considered to be private, and you’ll discover that people are extremely tolerant and respectful of others. Suffice to say, unlike so many other places around the world, its highly unlikely that anyone in Taiwan will ever ask about your religious beliefs, and that is one reason why religious conflict is something that seems almost unimaginable here. 

That being said, the religious experience here is also a mixed bag that includes ‘zen-like’ solitary experiences where you might find yourself enjoying beautiful mountain views, listening to the humming of Buddhist chants while sipping on some locally grown tea - or you could find yourself walking amongst crowds of thousands of people in the midst of a rambunctious procession of drum-beating trucks with fireworks and firecrackers being set off mere meters away.  

For the most part, the people of Taiwan are polytheistic, practicing a blend of Buddhism, Taoism and Chinese Folk Religion. Nevertheless, thanks to democratic reforms over the past few decades, religious diversity is a cherished and protected right, allowing the people of Taiwan the freedom to practice any faith they choose - or to come up their own religion if they see fit! As of 2020, the government officially recognizes twenty-six different religions, but save for some foreign imports like Christianity, Islam, Mormonism and Scientology, most of them are related to, or offshoots of the big three mentioned above. Data indicates that nearly 75% of the population identifies with one of these three religions. From personal experience however, I’d argue that these numbers are likely skewed by the fact that most people make little to no differentiation between the three, so when asked on an official census, they likely just checked a box.

Taiwan’s places of worship come in all shapes and sizes, ranging from miniature shrines, located along mountain paths to massive awe-inspiring palaces - so with more than 30,000 places of worship throughout the country, you’d probably think that it would be difficult to choose just a handful that stand out above the rest, but that actually isn't the case. The so-called 'big' temples, in Taipei at least, are easily identifiable, and each of them share a rich and interconnected history with the local community and the immigrants who settled here centuries ago. When it comes to the most influential places of worship in Taiwan, size is rarely one of the factors that ultimately determines the significance of one of these places, and you’ll definitely see that on the list below. That being said, one thing you’re likely to notice is that the further you travel outside of the capital, the larger some of these places of worship become. 

When I originally wrote this article in 2017, I was still somewhat new to the whole travel blogging thing, so after about six years, I’ve decided to give the article a bit of an update. Part of the reason I’m doing this now is because I’ve observed in recent months that quite a few visitors have been landing here, which I suppose is due to the fact that the pandemic is over and tourists have started visiting the country again. Obviously, I’ll maintain the same format as the original article and introduce three of the most important places of worship in Taipei, but I’m also going to include a few honorable mentions, which have also become pretty popular destinations for international tourists visiting Taiwan.  

Before I start though, I should probably mention that after I published this article, I did a follow up with a similar article listing the ‘Top Three’ temples in Bangka (艋舺), which is another list of temples that focuses entirely on one of Taipei’s most historic districts. However, you’ll notice that there is quite a bit of overlap between the two lists, which goes to show how important that part of the city has been with regard to its development. 

Link: Bangka's Top Three Temples (艋舺三大廟門) 

Massive Thousand-Arm Guanyin Statue at Taipei’s Guandu Temple.

Taiwan’s capital is a beautiful modern metropolis, and is one of Asia's leading economic hubs. The city has developed at an amazing rate over the past few decades, becoming a high-tech urban center that, to the benefit of all of its citizens, pays respect to the beautiful mountains and natural environment that surrounds it. The capital is famously home to numerous mountain vistas that, like the city’s places of worship, have also become popular tourist destinations.

Link: Taipei Cityscapes Guide

In terms of temples though, Taipei is well-known for its so-called 'Top Three Temples’ (台北三大廟門), which are cultural relics, each of which date back several centuries to the days when the city was first founded. The travel guides that introduce the country often talk about these temples, which are just as often jam-packed with the faithful as they are with tourists, who visit to learn more about Taiwan's unique cultural and religious heritage.

Obviously, the capital, like the rest of the country is home to its fair share of places of worship, so when it comes to identifying the ‘Top Three’, you’ll find there is a bit of inconsistency between foreign travel guides and the opinions of locals as to which temples actually belong on the list. While some might disagree, my list will focuses more on what locals consider to be the most important places of worship in the city, but I'm also going to include those that are also often featured on the list, and I’ll provide links to individual articles that I’ve written about each of them so that readers can find more in-depth information about them. 


Bao-An Temple (大龍峒保安宮)

The Dalongdong Bao-An Temple in Taipei’s Datong District (大同區) is the unanimous top-pick on all of the lists for Taipei's 'Top Three' temples. The temple has been recognized by the UNESCO Asia-Pacific World Heritage Awards for Cultural Heritage Preservation, and is regarded as a Taiwanese national treasure. The temple has a history that dates back to 1742, and is intertwined with the history of Hokkien (閩南人) immigrants from Fujian (福建), who settled in Taipei and started to develop the city several centuries ago.

Japanese-era photo of Bao-an Temple

Bao-An Temple should be high on the list of locations for a travelers itinerary while visiting Taipei, especially if your trip coincides with the annual Baosheng Cultural Festival (保生文化祭) festivities that celebrates the birth of the temple’s primary deity, the Baosheng Emperor (保生大帝). Similarly, a visit to Bao-An Temple also provides visitors with the opportunity to check out Taipei’s beautiful Confucius Temple (台北孔廟), which is conveniently located next door.

Address: #61, Hami Street, Datong District, Taipei. (臺北市大同區哈密街61號)


Longshan Temple (艋舺龍山寺)

Bangka’s Longshan Temple is probably one of Taiwan's most well-known temples and as one of the busiest places of worship in the city, Longshan Temple is constantly jam-packed with worshipers and tourists, alike.

The temple has a history that dates back to 1738, and just like Bao-An temple, also shares a close relationship with the Hokkien immigrants who came to Taiwan several centuries ago. The temple is primarily dedicated to Guanyin (觀音菩薩), the Buddha of Compassion, but like many other places of worship in Taiwan, it also has shrines set up to Taoist and local folk religion deities, making it a convenient place to visit.

When it comes to architectural design, this temple is second to none, and is arguably one of the most beautiful specimens of southern Chinese-style temple architecture in Taiwan, if not the whole world.

Japanese-era photo of Longshan Temple

Located next to the Longshan Temple MRT Station (龍山寺捷運站), this is one of the most convenient of the ‘Top Three’ temples to visit, and it’s important to note that it is located within the heart of the historic Bangka (艋舺) district of Taipei where you’ll find a number of other popular tourist destinations, including the Bopiliao Historic Block (剝皮寮歷史街區), Shintomicho Cultural Market (新富町文化市場), Huaxi Street Night Market (華西街夜市), etc. 

Address: #211 Guangzhou Street, Wanhua District, Taipei (台北市萬華區廣州街211號)

Bangka Qingshui Temple (艋舺清水巖)

While Bao-An Temple and Longshan Temple are always featured on the list of the 'Top Three' temples, Bangka’s Qingshui Temple seems to be the one that is 'questionable' as to whether or not it belongs on the list. This isn't to say that this temple isn't amazing, or that its history, which dates back to 1787 isn't as impressive. It just isn't as ‘busy’ as the other two temples, which often make the list, nor is it as popular with tourists. 

Nevertheless, Qingshui Temple, like Longshan Temple and Bao-An Temple shares an interconnected history with the Hokkien immigrants who settled in Taipei several centuries ago. The temple is dedicated to Master Qingshui (清水祖師), a popular Buddhist monk and folk-hero whose worship was imported to Taiwan by immigrants from Fujian province in China. 

As far as I’m concerned, Qingshui Temple makes the list as one of the 'Top Three' due to its age, and the important relationship it has played throughout history. That being said, I think it’s important to note that there are several ‘Qingshui Temples’ in the Greater Taipei area with the one in New Taipei City’s Sanxia District (三峽區) being incredibly influential, and one of my personal favorites. 

Link: Qingshui Zushi Temple (清水祖師宮)

Japanese-era photo of Qingshui Temple

Whether you agree or not that Bangka’s Qingshui Temple belongs on the list, no one can deny it’s history and its importance with regard to the development of the city, so even though it’s relatively quieter by comparison to the two above, it’s still one of the city’s most important places of worship.

Address: #81 Kanding Road, Wanhua District, Taipei (臺北市萬華區康定路81號)


Xia-Hai City God Temple (霞海城隍廟)

Dadaocheng’s Xia-Hai City God Temple is one of the temples that is often placed on the list of the 'Top Three' temples of Taipei, and is clearly deserving of such an honor - the temple which is now over 160 years old is an important place of worship for the people of Taipei, but unlike the other temples on the list, it has never been rebuilt. Thus, when you visit today, what you’ll see is more or less what you would have seen back in 1859 when it was originally constructed.

Even though the temple is primarily dedicated to the City God (城隍爺), it has become especially popular in recent years with tourists from Japan, who visit hoping to find luck in love thanks to the effort of Yue-Lao (月下老人), the god of match-making. Of all the places of worship in Taiwan that have enshrined this deity, the Xia-Hai City God Temple is probably the most highly regarded for his high success rate in helping people find a partner. You can be sure that during any visit to the temple, you’ll encounter singles from all over Taiwan seeking some divine assistance in their search for a significant other.  

While this temple is not as large as some of the others on the list, the history that it shares with the development of the Dadaocheng (大稻埕) area of Taipei, serving as a protector of the city has helped to shape the Taipei into the place it is today.

So whether you’re looking for love, or just a cool temple to visit, the City God Temple on the popular Dihua Street tourist area is one of the city’s most important places to visit! 

Address: #61, Dihua Street, Datong District, Taipei (台北市迪化街一段61號)


Xingtian Temple (行天宮)

Xingtian Temple is another one of the temples that often gets added to the list of the 'Top Three' temples in Taipei. Unlike the other temples, this one doesn’t have a long intertwining history with the development of the city. Constructed a little more than a half-century ago, the temple is not even remotely close in age as some of the other entries on the list, but don't let age fool you, the significance of this one cannot be understated. The temple is visited by an estimated 10,000 people each day, and even though it has a short history, it has become a quintessential place of worship, and also a major attraction for tourists. 

Due to its age, and the lack of centuries-old traditions, the temple has become somewhat of a trendsetter in recent years making waves within the spiritual world in Taiwan. In an effort to reduce its carbon footprint, Xingtian Temple became one of the first major places of worship in Taiwan to ban the practice of burning paper or incense within the temple, which in turn has resulted in many other places of worship reconsidering some of their practices in order to protect the environment.

Primarily dedicated to Lord Guan (關聖帝君), a historic figure whose exploits are told in the "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" (三國演義), his legend has transcended history books, and he has become an important figure within Buddhism, Taoism, and Chinese Folk Religion traditions. Lord Guan is worshiped as an ‘all-knowing’ and ‘all-powerful' deity as a god of war, and a patron saint of business people and scholars. Worship of Lord Guan, however, may not necessarily be the main reason why Xingtian Temple has become so popular - the temple is highly regarded within the capital as one of the best places to go to have a traditional "recalling frightening souls" (收驚) ceremony performed. While visiting you are very likely to see long lines of people waiting to have this age-old, yet slowly disappearing, Taoist ritual performed, which helps purify oneself and bring calm to your soul. 

Xingtian Temple is conveniently located next to an MRT station that shares its name, so getting there is rather straightforward, paying a visit to the temple is quite easy for any of you who’d like to check it out.

Address: #109 Minchuan Road Section 2, Zhongshan District, Taipei (台北市中山區民權東路二段109號)


Qingshan Temple (艋舺青山宮)

One of the temples that I feel deserves a place on the list of the city’s most important places of worship is Bangka’s Qingshan Temple. Located a short distance away from both Longshan Temple and Qingshui Temple, it is one of the most important places of worship in the historic Bangka District of the city, and in recent years has enjoyed a revival in its popularity thanks to the revival of the Qingshan King Festival (青山靈安尊王), which has become one of the most lively temple events on the yearly calendar.

Dating back to 1854, the temple is located on what is known as 'Taipei's First Street' (台北第一街), and is near the historic wharf, which once made Bangka an economic powerhouse. Dedicated to the Qingshan King (青山王), a historical figure from China's warring states period, similar to Bao-An Temple, people often visit the temple to seek divine assistance in curing sickness and disease.

However, the Qingshan King is also highly regarded for his ability to drive out evil, so when he comes out of his temple once a year to inspect the district, the festival that follows is one of the coolest cultural events that you'll ever experience. 

Given that the temple’s annual three-day parade has become such a popular affair, a visit to Qingshan Temple should be high on any travelers list, and a visit can easily coincide with the other temples and tourist destinations within the heart of Bangka. 

Address: #218 Guiyang Street, Section 2, Wanhua District, Taipei (臺北市萬華區貴陽街二段218號)


Clearly, even though this article advertises a list of the Top Three places of worship in Taipei, I assure you that my math isn’t that terrible. The list of Taipei’s most important temples is one that I find quite arbitrary, but the ‘Top Three’ title is a term that has become well-known in both Mandarin as well as English, so I suppose it’s important to hold true to these traditions.

There are, of course a number of other places of worship within Taipei that are deserving of a visit, so if you are interested in including some of them on a trip to Taipei, I recommend checking out some of the following:

  1. Taipei Confucius Temple 台北孔廟 (Datong District)

  2. Huguo Rinzai Temple 臨濟護國禪寺 (Datong District)

  3. Songshan Ciyou Temple 松山慈佑宮 (Songshan District)

  4. Taipei Tian Hou Temple 台北天后宮 (Ximen)

  5. Guandu Temple 關渡宮 (Beitou District)

  6. Puji Temple 普濟寺 (Beitou District)

  7. Zhinan Temple 指南宮 (Wenshan District)

  8. Bishan Temple 碧山巖 (Neihu District)

  9. Jiantan Historic Temple 劍潭古寺 (Zhongshan District)

  10. Hongludi Temple 烘爐地南山福德宮 (Zhonghe District)

Linkou Guanyin Temple (林口竹林山觀音寺)

Or you can just check out the list of some of the other places of worship that I’ve written about in the link below:

Link: Temples 

Travel guides will insist that anyone who travels to Taiwan must visit at least one temple, and some of those on the list above are the most popular places to visit. While there are of course very important religious aspects to these buildings, it’s also important to note they’re are also perfect places to visit if you are eager to learn about the complexities of Taiwanese culture, language, history and identity. Even if you don’t understand much of what’s going on within them, visiting a temple here is a pretty cool experience.


Bao-An Temple (大龍峒保安宮)

When I first started writing this blog a few years back, I wasn't as organized with how I would present photos and information as I am now, nor did I really imagine that the blog would get as much attention as it has. I planned on posting photos quite often but hadn't really considered that the content would often be just as important to people visiting the blog as the photos were. To that effect I made a few posts that combined locations and didn't really provide the information that certain places actually deserved.

This was the case when I posted about Taipei's Confucius Temple (台北孔廟) as well as its neighbour Bao-An Temple (保安宮) which happen to be two of Taipei's most important places of worship and also travel destinations for tourists. My plan is to rectify that by giving each location the proper respect and making separate blog posts using both new and old photos as well as giving more detailed information.

I know a lot of people don't share my passion for temples in Taiwan and posting about them isn't as great for traffic in the short term, but I think that temples of this importance and cultural significance deserve a much better effort on my part, so here we go:

Taipei Dalongdong Bao-An Temple (大龍峒保安宮)

Next to Taipei's Confucius temple is a temple that seems like it is the polar opposite of the other - The Dalongdong Bao-An Temple or just "Bao-An Temple" is arguably one of the busiest and most beautiful folk-religion temples in Taiwan. The temple is extremely ornate and is a national treasure to the people of Taiwan having achieved the status of a level two historic monument and being recognized by the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation. The temple is also highly recommended by travel publications and is listed as a "must-visit" attraction by Lonely Planet.

Bao-An Temple wins most of its accolades from its attention to detail and the beautiful art contained within the temple as well as from me for the constant display of Taiwanese lilies that make the temple smell amazing. The original builders spent a considerable amount of money contracting the best artisans in the country at the time to help decorate the temple. If you are a fan of traditional art, Bao-An temple really is an excellently preserved museum to showcase the rich cultural history of Taiwan and the immigrants who came here so long ago.

The temple is part of the "big three" temples (台北三大廟門) of Taipei which also include the Mengjia Longshan Temple (艋舺龍山寺) and Mengjia Qingshui Temple (艋舺清水巖) which are also busy tourist attractions in their own right. The three temples may not be the oldest or largest temples in Taipei but they are the most important in terms of the culture of early Hokkien immigrants as well as the role they have played over the recent centuries of Taiwanese history.

History

The history of Bao-An Temple goes back to 1742 when new immigrants to Taiwan constructed a small shrine to the Bao-Sheng Emperor (保生大帝) on the site where the current temple exists. As the population in the area grew the shrine became insufficient and plans were made to construct a much larger temple after funds were raised.

In 1804 work began to replace the existing wooden shrine with a proper full functioning temple - 

The funding and construction of the temple was initially undertaken by immigrants hailing from Tong-An (同安縣) a county near Xiamen (廈門) in Fujian Province. The temple was built to 'protect those of Tong-An' (保佑同安) and is why it was named "Bao-An Temple" (保安宮) which if you think about it is a clever run on words with a double meaning paying homage to the Bao-Sheng Emperor for which the temple is dedicated as well as "protecting" (保佑) the people of Tong-An who would have had a tough life in the early days of Taiwan's development.

The construction of the temple was instrumental in the early development of the Dalongdong (大龍峒) area of Taipei and when initial work on the temple was completed in 1830 extra materials were sold at a discounted price to people in the area to build up their residences and businesses. Today if you walk along the cobblestone road near the temple you can still see some of these buildings (they have since been reconstructed with stronger material) which are uniform in nature and would have housed the earliest merchants in the area.

Similar to the experience of the neighbouring Confucius Temple, the temple experienced a period of neglect during the initial years of the Japanese Colonial Period as the Imperial army used the temple for various purposes including that of a trade office and a language school. When the situation in Taipei settled down with the new colonial power local people put together funds to repair and renovate the temple as well as adding additional shrines on the east and west sides of the temple.

The Second World War provided for yet another difficult period for the temple as Taipei became a target of the allied bombing campaign against the Japanese and left parts of the city in ruins. The Japanese were ultimately forced to surrender Taiwan to the Republic of China (中華民國) which would then become embroiled in the Chinese Civil War shortly thereafter.

With the loss of the Civil War to the Communist Party under Mao Zedong (毛澤東), the Chinese Nationalist Party (中國國民黨) under the leadership of former president Chiang Kai Shek (蔣介石) retreated to Taiwan with millions of people loyal to the ROC. This presented a problem for the island as there was insufficient housing for the new arrivals. Higher class members of Chinese society as well as members of the armed forced were provided with housing but people of lower social status were forced to fend for themselves.

Some of those refugees found themselves becoming squatters within large structures throughout the country. Bao-An temple which was already in a state of disrepair from the war suddenly became "home" to over 130 different families of refugees.

In 1966 when the housing situation had improved the squatters were evicted from the temple after almost 20 years and rehoused elsewhere. Their illegal structures were then torn down and work began on the reconstruction of the temple which lasted until 1974 when a fund shortage forced the repairs to be suspended.

Reconstruction began yet again in 1988 and was completed in 1991 giving us the beautiful 3000 square meter Bao-An Temple that we see today that includes the main temple, a rear hall, shrines and offices on the east and west sides as well as a several storey building that houses shrines and a massive library dedicated to religious studies and the history of the area.

In 2003, a few years after its completion the temple was recognized by UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation (聯合國教科文組織亞太區文物古蹟保護獎), a well deserved award for the 270 year old temple which has had its fair share of ups and downs over the past three centuries of Taiwan's incredible history.

Design 

The temple has a very traditional design and was constructed according to Feng Shui (風水) with the temple seated north and facing in a southward direction. The architecture of the temple is well known throughout Taiwan for its grand design and it's beautiful stone carvings on the pillars both outside and inside the temple.

The stone carvings and lions on the front wall date back to 1805 and while they have received some restoration work over the years they are still in their original state while there are several other pillars throughout the temple with dragons, flowers and birds on them. When visiting the temple it is important to take your time to enjoy the craftsmanship in the stonework which surrounds the temple.

This type of art is common in Taiwanese temples but if you spend some time to check it out you'll notice that a lot of the stone pillars and murals feature more than just dragons. The pillars with birds and flowers on them are a rare sight at temples in Taiwan and these designs set the temple apart in terms of the artwork.

Bao-Sheng Da Di (保生大帝)

Bao-An Temple is dedicated to a Taoist folk religion deity known as the Bao-Sheng Emperor. The deity is an important figure in Taoism but also a folk hero to the Hokkien people (閩南) who make up a large percentage of Taiwan's population. In Taoism, gods have specific functions and people pray to them for guidance and of course good luck. The Bao-Sheng Emperor is the god that people pray to for good health for themselves and their family making him an important figure within Taoism with over three hundred temples or shrines dedicated to him in Taiwan alone.

Lord Bao-Sheng was known in life as Wu Tao (吳本) and lived near Xiamen (廈門) in Fujian (福建) during the Song Dynasty (宋朝) in the year 979. He was well-known for his knowledge of Traditional Medicine as well as Taoism and is credited with performing several medical miracles as well as his selfless acts in assisting people in his profession as a physician. It is said that after achieving enlightenment Wu Tao decided that rather than entering nirvana that he preferred to stay in the mortal world to assist people in overcoming disease and sickness. For this dedication to alleviating the suffering of others he became deified as a Taoist deity and received the new name "Lord Bao-Sheng" (保生大帝) which is loosely translated as the "Protector of Life".

There are a lot of fantastical stories that are told of these historical individuals who become deified in Taoism but in actuality Wu Tao died in 1079 and his deified status became official much later in the Ming Dynasty (明朝) when the emperor conferred upon him the extremely long title:  “Imperial Inspector at Heavenly Gate, Miracle Doctor of Compassion Relief, Great Taoist Immortal, and the Long-lived, Unbounded, Life Protection Emperor"(恩主昊天金闕御史慈濟醫靈妙道真君萬壽無極保生大帝) which was thankfully shortened later on!

Worship of Bao-Sheng became popular in the Ming Dynasty and Taoists would visit temples dedicated to the deity to pray for good health and advice on how to cure certain ailments. This practice has continued to this day (mostly in Fujian and Taiwan). If you visit a traditional doctor in Taiwan you are very likely to see an image of Bao Sheng somewhere in the office as he has also became a patron of sorts to people who continue to practice TCM. With the advent of modern medicine however I would hope that people would instead visit a doctor rather than a temple to find the cures for their ailments.

Today one of the most popular temple events on the yearly calendar in Taipei is the celebration of Bao Sheng's birthday known in Taiwan as the Bao-Sheng Cultural Festival (保生文化聚) which is celebrated with spectacular parades, performances and rituals which start on the 15th day of the third lunar month (April or June) and usually last for an entire month.


Shrines in the Temple

This is the second time I've spent a considerable amount of time translating the entire list of gods found with in a large Taoist temple. I don't do this for every temple that I blog about and truthfully the last time I did it for the Songshan Ciyou temple I spent hours working on the proper translation for all the gods and it was copied word for word by another site without any credit whatsoever. Considering that that this is the ONLY resource on the web for this information in English I don't mind if the info is used, but at least be respectful and give credit if you're going to copy it: 

Main Hall (正殿): Bao Sheng Emperor (保生大帝), 36 generals (三十六官將)

Eastern Hall (東邊): Matsu (天上聖母), Earth God (福德正神)

Western Hall (西邊): Goddess of Childbirth (註生娘娘) 12 nursing goddesses (十二位婆姐)

Rear Hall (後殿):Bao Sheng Emperor (保生大帝)、Emperor Xiantian (玄天上帝), Confucius (至聖先師), Emperor Shennong (神農大帝), Guan Yu (關聖帝君)、Kaishan Spirit Tablets (開山先祖)

Rear Building Third Floor (大樓三樓): Trikaya Buddhas (三寶佛), Mañjuśrī (文殊菩薩), Samantabhadra (普賢菩薩), Guanyin (觀音菩薩), Sudhanakumâra (善財龍女), Skanda (韋馱菩薩), Samghārāma (伽藍菩薩)

Rear Building Fourth Floor (大樓四樓):

Quick note: The upper-most floor of large Taoist temples are typically dedicated to more celestial-level gods within Taoism. You'll usually find the Jade emperor and members of his court   on that level. The problem with translation of the names of these gods is that they sound strange if you translate them directly. The following gods are mostly all found within the stars and are constellations and/or are said to control fate and other stuff that is hard for humans to understand.

Left side: The Star Lord Family: Mother Goddess of the Big Dipper (斗姥元君) Lord of the Eastern Dipper (東斗星君), Lord of the Western Dipper (西斗星君), Lord of the Little Dipper (南斗星君), Lord of the Northern Dipper (北斗星君)、Lord of the Central Dipper (中斗星君), Donghua Emperor (東華帝君).

Center: The Jade Emperor (玉皇上帝), Lord of the Sun (太陽星君), Emperors of the Three Offices - Earth, Heaven and Water (地官大帝, 天官大帝, 水官大帝), Lord of the Moon (太陰星君).

Right Side: Lü Dongbin(孚佑帝君), Guan Yu (關聖帝君), The Kitchen God (灶神), Queen Mother of the West (王母娘娘), Heavenly Lord Pu Hua (九天應元雷聲普化天尊), Thunder God (雷神), Wind God (風神), Rain God (雨師) Maiden of Lightning (電母).


When you come to Taiwan people will always recommend that you visit the National Palace Museum to see important historical artifacts from China sitting in glass cases. I say why bother? Why come to Taiwan to see stuff that doesn't really have anything to do with the people here? Why not visit a living museum where there is no entrance fee, no pushy tourists and no long lines?

Taiwanese culture is a vibrant one and it is on display each and everyday at Bao-An temple - The temple is filled with beautiful art and the preservation of the original architecture is about as good as it gets for a 275 year old building with such a storied history. As one of Taipei's big three temples and the recipient of prestigious awards for cultural heritage it should be on the top of any travellers lists of places to visit when you come to Taiwan. Don't be afraid to just walk in and enjoy the sights, sounds and amazing smell of the thousands of lilies that are on display everyday!