Xingtian Temple

Xing-Xiu Temple (白雞行修宮)

While in the process of doing research for my recent post about Taipei's popular Xing-Tian Temple, I was surprised to learn that the popular religious and tourist landmark was the headquarters of an organization that consisted of three temples, several libraries and a hospital which were all built thanks to the charitable donations of the organization and its vast group of followers.

Though most temples in Taiwan achieve "famous" status due to their age and their historical significance - Xing-Tian Temple has been able to become one of the most highly-visited places of worship in Taipei and also a popular destination for people who are visiting the city and want to experience a bit of Taiwanese culture in action. According to the temple's own estimates, over 10,000 people walk through its doors each day making it one of Taipei's busiest tourist spots despite only being half a century old.

The temple has been able to use its relative youth to its advantage and has taken a leadership role in promoting progressive policies that aim to help protect the environment. The organizations decision to ban the usage of burning incense and paper throughout each of its three temples ultimately caused a ripple effect among some of the other larger temples in Taipei which have been reluctant to change but have since made plans to follow suit and contribute to help make Taipei a more environmentally friendly place to live!

While Xing-Tian temple gets the majority of the attention - the other two temples that belong to the organization are equally grand and visually very similar. These two gems have not really become tourists attractions in the same way that Xing-Tian temple has but are equally worthy of receiving the same amount of attention.

Xing-Xiu Temple (行修宮) is nestled in the mountains near New Taipei City's Sanxia district (三峽區). The area which is known as "Baiji" or White Chicken (白雞) is one that is known historically for the coal mining industry (of which there are still a few in operation) and is significant for the Hsin-Tian organization (恩主公) because its founder Master Hsuan Kung (玄空師父) was brought up and made a fortune in the mining industry before becoming a popular religious figure.

The construction of Xing-Xiu Temple started in 1962 and was finished three years later in 1965. This means that it actually predates its popular Taipei sister-temple by a couple of years but is still not the oldest temple in the group as the Beitou branch (北投行天宮) opened its doors to the public a few months earlier. All three temples however were built within a few years of each other making their age somewhat insignificant.

When it comes to the design of the temple, Sanxia's Xing-Xiu Temple is almost an identical twin to what you see in Taipei - The only major difference is that one is situated within a large metropolitan city while the other sits on the side of a mountain meaning that the environment that surrounds the temple makes it seem much larger than it actually is.

When you arrive at the temple you are greeted by a large market where vendors are set up selling various types of local food, vegetables and products that make it seem almost like a carnival-like atmosphere.

Once you pass by market you have to walk up a short but steep set of stairs that brings you to the temple - The first thing you'll notice when you arrive is that it looks brick-for-brick identical to the temple in Taipei. I seriously had to step back for a minute and look around to realize that I wasn't actually just visiting Xing-Tian Temple in Taipei for the hundredth time.

Even though the two temples are almost identical there are a few noticeable differences - The first is that the wall that surrounds the Taipei temple is non-existent and is replaced by a beautifully made natural garden on either side with the courtyard in front giving the area a much more natural look. The next difference is that there are two smaller buildings on either side of the main temple that act as shrines to the Earth God (福德正神) and another dedicated to the late founder of the temple Master Hsuan Kung.

One of the most attractive differences between the two however is that there are several hiking routes behind the temple on popular Baiji Mountain Hiking Trail (白雞山登山步道). Even if you aren't interested in taking the four kilometre hike up the mountain you can walk up the mountain for a few minutes to a platform behind that temple complex that gives spectacular views of the temple grounds. The short walk up the hill made the day for me as I was able to see the temple from above with the mountainous landscape all around it.

Shrines

Xing-Xiu temple is dedicated primarily to Lord Guan (關聖帝君) who is also known as Guan Yu (關羽) or Guan Gong (關公) and is one of the most recognized figures within Chinese culture. Guan was a leading general who served under Liu Bei (劉備) during the Three Kingdoms period and is now immortalized as a deity within Taoism and has also become a celebrated figure within Confucianism and Buddhism as well.

Guan who lived from 160-221AD was deified by Taoists sometime during the Sui dynasty (隋朝) between 581 and 618 and is worshipped in Taiwan, China, Hong Kong and pretty much any place where people of Chinese descent have migrated.

Stories about Lord Guan have been passed down through the generations and he has become somewhat of a legend thanks to the "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" (三國演義) a masterpiece of ancient Chinese literature.

The important thing to remember about Guan Yu however is that while there are a lot of superlative stories that deal with his exploits, he is widely respected within Chinese culture as the epitome of loyalty and righteousness. Today he is not only worshipped as an all-knowing and all-powerful deity but also as the god of war and a patron saint of business people and scholars. This is why statues of Lord Guan have become almost synonymous with Chinese businesses around the world as his presence is thought to help bring success.

As the god of war, he has also become a patron figure for the many different organized criminal groups within Chinese society and paying respect to Lord Guan is important for keeping discipline within the ranks.

The shrines at Xing-Xiu Temple differ a bit from Xing-Tian Temple so if you take a look you're going to see something that you probably won't see at other temples in Taiwan. The part that might amaze you the most is that the right shrine has statues dedicated to a few figures that you may not have seen before and have names that might have you scratching your head if you understand Chinese. The confusing thing is that the names "聖父“ or "聖母“ are typically used for Christians when we talk about "God" or "Mary" but in this case they are referring to the family of Lord Guan. The left shrine has statues dedicated to Lord Guan's Grandfather (聖公), Father (聖父), Grandmother (聖母) and Mother (聖媽).

The main shrine and the one most visible to people on the outside is dedicated to Lord Guan's son (關太子平), Lord Guan (關聖大帝) and Zhou Cang (周恩師倉) who was one of Lord Guan's right hand men during the Three Kingdom's Period.

The shrine to the right has statues dedicated to people who were also important during the Three Kingdoms period and were close allies and friends of Lord Guan. The three statues are dedicated to master strategist Zhuge Liang (諸葛武侯孔明), Kingdom of Shu Emperor Liu Bei (漢昭烈帝劉備), and General Zhang Fei (桓侯大帝張飛).

The shrine at this temple is somewhat more interesting if you've read the Romance of the Three Kingdoms (三國演義) or have seen any of the various movies that have been made about it, including the most recent Red Cliff (赤壁) which did an excellent job portraying the characters which are enshrined at this temple.

Temple Disciples (效勞生) / Cleansing the Spirit (收驚)

One of the most noticeable aspects of a visit to any of the three temples belonging to this organization are the blue-robed "Xiaolaosheng" (效勞生) or “helpers”. In the past the helpers would walk around with large bouquets of incense to hand out to people who came to the temple to pray but today their roles have changed a bit in order to reflect the environmental policies of the temple.

They continue to be a constant fixture of the temple and no matter when you go or what time of the day you are there they will always be there providing services to the people who visit. While most temples in Taiwan have volunteers of this sort, Xingtian Temple is a bit different in that the "helpers" are a much more organized group who perform quite a few duties throughout the temple - Its common to find them reciting sutras, chanting verses, assisting visitors, answering questions and performing Taoist rituals.

The helpers stated purpose is to work for the 'benefit of others as well as cultivate their hearts and minds'. While "helper" is a simple translation, you might want to just refer to them as 'Temple Disciples' to make things a little more easy to understand. The helpers comes from all walks of life and speak many languages, so if you have a question they will be happy to answer but before they do so they'll say "ping'an" (平安) which means "safety" as a way to give a blessing to anyone who they come in contact with.

One of more interesting duties for the helpers is for a ritual called "recalling frightening souls" (收驚) which is an age-old Taoist ritual meant to help purify oneself and bring calm to your soul. The thought process behind it is that from time to time, something might happen which frightens you so much that your soul (one of them) attempts to 'escape' from your body. It could be anything from a good scare during a horror movie to a close call on the road. If you feel yourself suffering from this sort of shock, it is quite normal for people to visit a temple to have this ritual performed on them.

The ritual which is a 'cleansing' or even an 'exorcism' of sorts is meant to calm your soul and bring it back into your body so that you are more at ease. The women who perform the ritual at this specific temple will wave a stick of incense around all of your chakra points and whisper a prayer signifying that it is safe for your soul to return to your body.

Design

As mentioned above, the design of the temple is almost identical to the one in Taipei. If you walk into this temple having visited some of Taiwan's other Taoist temples, the simplicity will be a stark contrast to the amazing detail of some of Taiwan's other places of worship. While it is a young temple and a simple one at that, it doesn't mean that there aren't minor details in the design that you shouldn't pay attention to and appreciate. The minor details are the areas of this temple where you're most likely to notice the slight design differences.

The temple was designed in a traditional way with a front hall (前殿) and a main hall (正殿) which are joined by two long corridors which are known as the "guardian dragons" (護龍). The middle of the temple which serves as the courtyard is where people will go to pray. The main hall of the temple is off-limits to guests, so if you want to see the main shrine you are going to have to peer in from the courtyard.

While the temple is quite plain the things to notice within would be the dragons and phoenixes on the roof which act as guardians which ward off evil. Dragons specifically help to prevent fires and pray for rain while phoenixes appear when he earth is at peace and have long been considered auspicious symbols within traditional Chinese culture.

When it comes to stone work, Taiwanese temples spare no expense and this temple is no different. The temple boasts twenty-seven beautiful stone columns in the front hall which have beautiful calligraphy poems carved into them by various Taiwanese artists. The poems on the pillars are meant to glorify Lord Guan and are an important addition to the design of the temple.

Apart from the columns, you'll find two stone "Qilin" (麒麟) at the main entrance to the front hall. Taiwanese temples are typically protected by stone lions but this one is a bit different - Qilin which are also known as Chinese unicorns are mythical Chinese creatures that have the head of a dragon and the body of either an ox, deer, or horse with scales and hooves. While extremely cool-looking, Qilin symbolize prosperity, serenity and that the nation is at peace which I think fit in well with this temple.

If you have been to Xing-Tian temple in Taipei it is quite easy to compare the two - With the temple in Taipei you have the convenience of riding the MRT and walking a short distance to reach the temple. Xing-Xiu Temple on the other hand is a bit more difficult to get to but I'd argue that a visit to this temple is actually a much more peaceful and enjoyable experience.

The temple has the aesthetics that you're familiar with in Taipei but blends in extremely well with the natural environment around it. When you think of peaceful Zen-like temples nestled in the mountains, you'd probably be thinking of a place like this. If you are in the Sanxia area and have the opportunity to visit, make sure check this one out!


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.


Xingtian Temple (行天宮)

One of the things that I tell people who have just arrived in Taiwan is that the temples here are pretty much like living museums for the culture, art and history of this country. You can learn so much more about Taiwan by visiting temples than you ever could from a museum.

I've written a lot about temples over the past few years on my blog and even though it might seem like overkill at times, I really do love taking photos of these wonderful buildings while at the same time telling a bit of their story so that people around the world can understand them better.

This time I'm not going to be introducing a three hundred year old temple nor one that really comes across as the 'living museum' type. The temple I'm introducing today is a relatively new one yet despite its lack of history it has become a very important one for the people of Taipei and also attracts its fair share of tourists.

Xingtian Temple (行天宮), constructed in 1967 is a relatively young temple by Taiwan's standards - Yet if you compare its popularity to other temples around the country it would seem that age isn't always the deciding factor in whether a temple is considered important or not. It is estimated that over 10,000 people visit the temple each day and while it has become a major tourist destination for the city, it is also an extremely important place of worship for the Taoists of Taipei.

While most of the older temples in Taiwan are steeped in hundreds of years of tradition, it often seems that those traditions have a habit of preventing them from adapting to modern times and attitudes towards certain practices and beliefs. A young temple like Xingtian Temple on the other hand is a bit freer to be more progressive with its policies and is one of the reasons why this temple has received so much positive publicity over the past few years and why it has become so loved.

In 2014 the temple made headlines across Taiwan when it announced that it would institute measures to protect the environment which included removing offering tables and no longer offering incense to visitors - a very bold move on part of the temple! (and ultimately followed by a few others since then).

Temples in Taiwan are constantly filled with clouds of incense as sticks of incense are thought to portray a certain level of respect when Taoists are conversing the the spiritual world. I really do like the smell of incense, but when you visit temples it can sometimes be a little too much and your eyes and throat start to hurt if you stick around for too long.

The progressive policies that the temple instituted were not only great for the environment but also for people's health and also the cleanliness of the temple, which is at all times insanely clean.

Xingtian Temple also sets itself apart from others due to the fact that it does not have a large furnace for burning ghost money nor does it put on performances or have any donation boxes for accepting money from visitors. A visit to this temple is a no-frills experience which means you're free to look around and enjoy the experience without being pestered for donations like you would in so many other countries. 

The temple is dedicated primarily to Lord Guan (關聖帝君) who is also known as Guan Yu (關羽) or Guan Gong (關公) and is one of the most recognized figures within Chinese culture. Guan was a leading general who served under Liu Bei (劉備) during China's Three Kingdoms period (220-280) and is now immortalized as a deity within Taoism and has also become a celebrated figure within Confucianism and Buddhism as well.

Guan who lived from 160-221AD was deified by Taoists sometime during the Sui dynasty (隋朝) between 581 and 618 and is worshipped in Taiwan, China, Hong Kong and pretty much any place where people of Chinese descent have migrated.

Stories about Lord Guan have been passed down through the generations and he has become somewhat of a legend thanks to the "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" (三國演義) a masterpiece of ancient Chinese literature.

The important thing to remember about Guan Yu however is that while there are a lot of superlative stories that deal with his exploits, he is widely respected within Chinese culture as the epitome of loyalty and righteousness. Today he is not only worshipped as an all-knowing and all-powerful deity but also as the god of war and a patron saint of business people and scholars. This is why statues of Lord Guan have become almost synonymous with Chinese businesses around the world as his presence is thought to help bring success.

As the god of war, he has also become a patron figure for the many different organized criminal groups within Chinese society and paying respect to Lord Guan is important for keeping discipline within the ranks. Don't expect to be brushing noses with scary-looking gangsters at Xingtian Temple though - the temple is a very zen-like and peaceful place of worship!

Accompanying Lord Guan in the temple are Lu Dongbin (呂洞賓), Zhang Dan (張單), Wang Shan (王善) and Yue Fei (岳飛) who together make up a group of important deities known to Taoists as the "Five Saviours" (五聖恩主) and are thought to help bring enlightenment and bestow benevolence to society.

Each of the gods accompanying Lord Guan in the temple has a specific role: Lu Dongbin has a sword which is supposed to destroy greed, anger and ignorance in people's hearts. Zhang Dan, who is also known as the 'Kitchen God' keeps records of things people say and do and presents the records to the Jade Emperor (玉皇大帝). Wang Shan who is also known as the 'Thunder God' patrols the heavens and the earth rewarding people for doing good deeds and punishing those who do wrong. Yue Fei is a lot like Lord Guan and was a general in life - Today he is respected for his loyalty and righteousness.

One of the main draws to the temple (prior to 2014) were the temple attendants who are known as Xiaolaosheng (效勞生) or “helpers” wearing blue robes. The helpers walked around with large bouquets of incense to hand out to people who came to the temple to pray. For photographers, the sight of these ladies was actually really cool. Today the ladies in blue don't carry incense but continue to carry out other important duties around the temple.

The blue-robed "helpers" are a constant fixture of the temple and no matter when you go or what time of the day you are there they will always be there providing services to the people who visit. While most temples in Taiwan have volunteers of this sort, Xingtian Temple is a bit different in that the "helpers" are a much more organized group who perform quite a few duties throughout the temple - Its common to find them reciting sutras, chanting verses, assisting visitors, answering questions and performing Taoist rituals.

The helpers purpose is to work for the 'benefit of others as well as cultivate their hearts and minds'. While "helper" is a simple translation, you might want to just refer to them as 'Temple Disciples' to make things a little more easy to understand. The helpers comes from all walks of life and speak many languages, so if you have a question they will be happy to answer but before they do so they'll say "ping'an" (平安) which means "safety" as a way to give a blessing to anyone who they come in contact with.

One of more interesting duties for the helpers is for a ritual called "recalling frightening souls" (收驚) which is an age-old Taoist ritual meant to help purify oneself and bring calm to your soul. The thought process behind it is that from time to time, something might happen which frightens you so much that your soul (one of them) attempts to 'escape' from your body. It could be anything from a good scare during a horror movie to a close call on the road. If you feel yourself suffering from this sort of shock, it is quite normal for people to visit a temple to have this ritual performed on them and Xingtian temple is the primary destination for the people of Taipei to have this sort of spiritual therapy done. 

The ritual which is a 'cleansing' or even an 'exorcism' of sorts is meant to calm your soul and bring it back into your body so that you are more at ease. The women who perform the ritual at this specific temple will wave a stick of incense around all of your chakra points and whisper a prayer signifying that it is safe for your soul to return to your body.

The most interesting thing for me is that there are always long lines at Xingtian Temple for this ritual which is performed free of charge but probably also a good indication that close calls when it comes to driving in Taiwan are more common than you'd expect. Taiwanese people live a stressful fast-paced life and having this spiritual service available to them is likely very beneficial if you're prone to believe in this kind of thing.

The other interesting point is that you don't actually even have to be there in person to have the ritual performed on you. One one of my visits I noticed an older lady holding up a shirt from an American university and having one of the attendants performing the ritual. My guess was that her son was studying overseas and had something happen to him, so she was helping him out with a spiritual 'dry-cleaning' of sorts.

Design  

The temple takes up almost an entire city block in Taipei and is celebrated for its traditional Chinese-style architecture. If you walk into this temple having visited other Taoist temples before, the simplicity will be a stark contrast to the amazing detail of some of Taiwan's other places of worship. While it is a young temple and a simple one at that, it doesn't mean that there aren't minor details in the design that you shouldn't pay attention to and appreciate.

When you walk into the temple the first thing you'll notice is one of the two gates. The gates are known as the "Xun Gate" (巽門) and "Kun Gate" (坤門) or the Wind and Earth gates. The gates each have inscriptions on the inside which read "Hehe" (赫赫) and “Yanyan” (巖巖) which are reminders to the faithful to practice virtue and and act accordingly and respectfully after leaving the temple.

The temple itself is designed in a traditional way with a front hall (前殿) and a main hall (正殿) which are joined by two long corridors which are known as the "guardian dragons" (護龍) which house a sermon hall on the left side and an information centre on the right side.

The middle of the temple which serves as the courtyard is where people will go to pray.

The main hall of the temple is off-limits to guests, so if you want to see the main shrine you are going to have to peer in from the courtyard. This is why I actually have very few photos of the shrine room. I had to use a telephoto lens to get shots of it. 

While the temple is quite plain, the things to notice within would be the dragons and phoenixes on the roof which act as guardians which ward off evil. Dragons specifically help to prevent fires and pray for rain while phoenixes appear when the earth is at peace and have long been considered auspicious symbols within traditional Chinese culture.

When it comes to stone work, Taiwanese temples spare no expense and Xingtian Temple is no different. The temple boasts twenty-seven beautiful stone columns in the front hall which have beautiful calligraphy poems carved into them by various Taiwanese artists. The poems on the pillars are meant to glorify Lord Guan and are an important addition to the design of the temple.

Apart from the columns, you'll find two stone Qilin (麒麟) at the main entrance to the front hall. Taiwanese temples are typically protected by stone lions but this one is a bit different - Qilin which are also known as 'Chinese unicorns' are mythical Chinese creatures that have the head of a dragon and the body of either an ox, deer, or horse with scales and hooves. While extremely cool-looking, Qilin symbolize prosperity, serenity and that the nation is at peace which I think fit in well with this temple.

As I mentioned above with the temple disciples, this temple is a bit more organized that your average Taiwanese temple and is part of a much larger Taoist organization. The Xingtian Temple organization which formed in 1956 under the leadership of Master Hsuan Kung (玄空師父) has since expanded to three temples, one in New Taipei City's Beitou district (北投分宮) and another in Sanxia district (三峽行修宮) and includes four libraries and a fully functional hospital. The group is dedicated not only to the promotion of Taoism but also to education, culture, medical care and charity and is quick to mobilize in the event of disaster.

Despite having three temples, this specific one which sits in the heart of Taipei is one of the city's largest tourist attractions with thousands of people visiting each day and a new subway stop which makes visiting the temple much easier.

Tourists who visit are likely to include a trip to the nearby Taipei Fish Market (上引水產) for fresh sushi with quality that rivals that of the Tsukiji market (築地市場) in Tokyo.

Xingtian Temple may not have the historical importance of Longshan Temple (龍山寺) or Bao-An Temple (保安宮) but it has molded itself into one of the most important places of worship in the city and rivals the others in the hearts of Taiwanese people.

If you are in Taipei for a short time, a visit to this peaceful temple should definitely be on your itinerary.