萬華區

Bangka's Top Three Temples (艋舺三大廟門)

While Taipei City as a whole is known for its ‘Top Three Temples’, the city’s historic Bangka District (艋舺區), which is now more commonly known as Wanhua (萬華區), boasts (at least) two of those top three, and is so important to the history and development of Taipei that locals will insist that it has its own dedicated list.

“Bangka,” which is pronounced as ‘Báng-kah in Taiwanese Hokkien, or simply as “Monga” (艋舺) in Mandarin, is historically-speaking one of the most important areas of Taipei, and it’s long history is steeped in both the culture and religions of Taiwan. Once one of the most commercially successful areas of Taipei, thanks to its proximity to the Xindian River (新店溪), Bangka has served as a centre of commerce for over three hundred years. Originally settled by the tribes of Taiwan’s Plains Indigenous Peoples (平埔族), followed by Hokkien (閩南人) immigrants, and most recently by Chinese refugees of the civil war, the district has been in a constant state of change over its modern history, with the influx of newcomers, who brought with them their own ways of life, and of course, their religious practices.

Nevertheless, despite the district being home to Taipei’s hip and modern Shibuya-like shopping district, Ximending (西門町), as well as a number of night markets and historic attractions, it is a neighborhood that sadly finds itself in decline, with an aging population, high rates of unemployment, and seedy underbelly, all of which are issues that the local government aims at combatting in order to help revive its fortunes. That being said, if you are visiting Taipei and want to experience the history of the city, there is no better place to visit than Bangka - this area is truly unlike anywhere else in the city and walking around, you’re likely to have distinct feeling that you’ve travelled back in time to an older, livelier and somewhat seedier version of one of Asia’s most important cities where its places of worship have been integral parts of the daily lives of its residents for hundreds of years.

Like most of the buildings in the district, the places of worship in Bangka are historical relics that share an interconnected relationship with the various groups of immigrants who have made their way Taiwan over the past few centuries, and made the most of their lives in a new land helping to forge Taiwan into the vibrant nation that it is today.

When it comes to the Top Three temples of Bangka there is a bit of inconsistency in both the Chinese-speaking world as well as that in the opinion of foreign visitors as to which temples actually belong on the list. While others may disagree, my list will take into consideration what the majority consider the 'Top Three' but I'll also include the temples which often make the list as well as provide links to my posts about each of the temples for further details.

Longshan Temple (艋舺龍山寺)

Longshan Temple is probably Taiwan's most well-known temple - The temple is one of Taiwan's busiest places of worship and is always jam-packed with tourists who come to view this beautifully designed and well-preserved temple.

The temple has a history that dates back to 1738 and like Bao-An temple, also has a close relationship with the Hokkien immigrants who came to Taiwan several centuries ago. Longshan Temple is primarily dedicated to Guanyin (觀音菩薩), the Buddha of Compassion, but like many other places of worship in Taiwan has shrines set up to Taoist and Chinese Folk Religion deities making it a very convenient temple for the faithful of Taiwan.

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


Qingshan Temple (艋舺青山宮)

Qingshan Temple is one of the most interesting temples in Taipei and its Qingshan King Festival is one of the most lively Temple events on the yearly calendar. The temple dates back to 1854 and if the temple hadn't of been built, Bangka would be a completely different place than it is today.

Interestingly, the temple sits in the middle of what is known as 'Taipei's First Street' (台北第一街) and is near the former wharf which made the Bangka district an economic powerhouse.

The temple is dedicated to the Qingshan King (青山王), a historical figure from China's warring states period and is thought to have the ability to cure sickness and disease. The king is also well known for his ability to drive out evil and 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

If it was left up to me, this temple would be on the list of not only the top temples in Bangka and Taipei, but the top three of Taiwan. A visit to the temple comes highly recommended!


Qingshui Temple (艋舺清水巖)

Qingshui Temple is often considered to be one of the temples on the list of the 'Top Three' in Taipei. The temple is dedicated to Master Qingshui (清水祖師), a popular Buddhist monk and folk-hero whose worship, like the Hokkien immigrants themselves was imported to Taiwan.

The temple makes the list as one of the 'Top Three' due to its age and the important relationship it has played throughout history with a specific group of immigrants who have made the Bangka (艋舺) district the special place it is today.


Honourable Mention: Taipei Mazu Temple (台北天后宮)

Taipei's Tian Hou Temple, which is often also referred to as Taipei's Mazu Temple (台北媽祖廟) is often added to the list of the 'Top Three Temples' of Bangka. Its inclusion on the list is debatable but what isn't is the interesting history the temple has experienced since its construction and how it has been able to endure over the past 270 years.

The temple is situated within the busy Ximending Shopping District (西門町) and is unlike the other larger temples as it is somewhat hidden from the street. The temple is extremely popular with tourists from Japan and although guide books don't spend much time talking about it, it is one of the more interesting temples in the city to visit!


Wanhua (萬華)

The oldest district in the modern metropolis of Taipei goes by many names - To some it is “Bangka” (Báng-kah khu) or “Monga” (艋舺) and to others it is “Wanhua” (萬華區). Whatever you prefer to call the district, it is one of the most important districts in the city and is steeped in history, culture and religion. 

Once one of the most prosperous districts in the city due to its proximity to the Xindian River (新店溪), the district served as a centre of commerce for over three hundred years. The area was originally settled by the Pinpu Kaitakela tribe, then Hokkien (閩南人) immigrants from Fujian Province and most recently by Chinese refugees of the civil war. 

Today the district is in a period of decline and has an aging population that is regarded as the “fattest” in the city - It is well known for its historic sites which include Longshan Temple (龍山寺), Taipei’s most popular temple as well as the Qingshui Temple (艋舺清水巖), Bopiliao Historic Street (剝皮寮老街) Huaxi Night Market (華西街夜市) and Ximending (西門町), Taipei’s answer to the hip and modern Shibuya shopping district in Tokyo. 

If you want to experience the historical side of Taipei, there is no better place to visit than Bangka. This area is unlike any other area of Taipei - Not only will you find history, but walking around gives you the distinct feeling that you travelled back in time to an older, livelier and somewhat seedier version of the city. 

So far my series on Bangka has been split up into three sections. The next three sections will be some simple street photography and I plan on ending it all with a post on Longshan Temple. These posts will consist of street photos of the residents of Bangka around the park, in the temple and on the streets in the historic area of the district. This area is a great area for street photography and I hope to show a bit of what life is like in the district through the photos. 


Qingshan Temple and King Festival (青山宮/青山靈安尊王) 

Part 1 | Part Two | Temple

Street Photography posts

Bangka Park | The temple | Streets of Bangka

1. Afternoon Tea

I have mixed feelings about this photo. On the on hand it makes me feel a bit happy because the man seems so cute in what he's doing. On the other hand it makes me feel sad that at his age he is having his afternoon snack by himself. It leads me to think about other things less metaphorical about old age and death which are scary to someone who isn't really in his youth anymore.

2. Avoiding the Sun

I recently attended a photo critique session and I brought this photo with me. I think the consensus of all my friends and colleagues in attendance that it was only 2/5 and there were a lot of problems with the shot. Afterwards I explained why I took the shot and they all looked at it again and they all said “Ohhhhhhhh ok.” When I took this shot I only saw one thing and it interested me as somewhat of a commentary on Taiwanese people and their fear of the sun. Look again at how they're walking single file and how they're avoiding the sun shining between the pillars. It was a beautiful day and I really enjoyed the weather. It's not as common for a lot of Taiwanese people to enjoy the sun however as they prefer lighter toned skin.

3. Sugarcane Juice anyone?

There are few things as nasty to me as Sugarcane juice. I'm not a fan and I never have been. It is a popular drink though, especially among older Taiwanese people which means there is probably no better place to sell it than in Monga! When I took the shot the vendor was having a conversation with a customer and he noticed me taking the shot and looked straight into the camera. I like the deer in headlights look and the environment around the vendor as well. 

4. Collecting Alms

There are quite a few people dressed up like monks and sitting around Monga. I hate to be skeptical but from what I've learned from other people is that they're not all real monks and a lot of them just sit there dressed up as one to collect alms from the pious people of Taiwan. I haven't really been able to tell the difference between what's real and what's not with monks but from what I've noticed, some of them have ID tags to prove their authenticity. The monk in this shot wasn't really being laid attention to as the people walked by oblivious to his existence – or maybe they've just learned better by now. It's sad that this kind of thing happens because alms are important for a lot of monks and temples to have food and basic amenities. 

5. Deep Conversation

If there is one thing I'm not a big fan of its pictures of people from behind. As a photographer it's important to get in the thick of things and if you are posting editorial material of the back of people's heads it comes off a bit unprofessional. I'm not saying that photos from behind can't work, but it's generally better to get in front of people to see the full emotion of the scene. In this shot I was in a large crowd of people who were watching a Taiwanese puppet performance at a small temple near Bopiliao. I didn't want to make the subject of the photo the puppet show, nor did I want to get in front of these guys for the shot. What I wanted was to get a shot of the deep conversation these two were having and have them stand out from the rest of the crowd. I'm still not really a big fan of this kind of photo, but for me at least, I think in this situation it worked quite well with the expressions and seriousness of their faces as they discussed things.


Gallery

Monga (艋舺)

The oldest district in the modern metropolis of Taipei goes by many names - To some it is “Bangka” (Báng-kah khu) or “Monga” (艋舺) and to others it is “Wanhua” (萬華區). Whatever you prefer to call the district, it is one of the most important districts in the city and is steeped in history, culture and religion. 

Once one of the most prosperous districts in the city due to its proximity to the Xindian River (新店溪), the district served as a centre of commerce for over three hundred years. The area was originally settled by the Pinpu Kaitakela tribe, then Hokkien (閩南人) immigrants from Fujian Province and most recently by Chinese refugees of the civil war. 

Today the district is in a period of decline and has an aging population that is regarded as the “fattest” in the city - It is well known for its historic sites which include Longshan Temple (龍山寺), Taipei’s most popular temple as well as the Qingshui Temple (艋舺清水巖), Bopiliao Historic Street (剝皮寮老街) Huaxi Night Market (華西街夜市) and Ximending (西門町), Taipei’s answer to the hip and modern Shibuya shopping district in Tokyo. 

If you want to experience the historical side of Taipei, there is no better place to visit than Bangka. This area is unlike any other area of Taipei - Not only will you find history, but walking around gives you the distinct feeling that you travelled back in time to an older, livelier and somewhat seedier version of the city. 

So far my series on Bangka has been split up into three sections. The next three sections will be some simple street photography and I plan on ending it all with a post on Longshan Temple. These posts will consist of street photos of the residents of Bangka around the park, in the temple and on the streets in the historic area of the district. This area is a great area for street photography and I hope to show a bit of what life is like in the district through the photos. 


Qingshan Temple and King Festival (青山宮/青山靈安尊王) 

Part 1 | Part Two | Temple

Street Photography posts

Bangka Park | The temple | Streets of Bangka

1. A Gathering of the Minds.

Longshan temple is a really scared place in Taiwan and its constantly full of activity – That doesn't mean it can't be a place for people to hang out as well. In this shot you can see four Buddhist women sitting off to the side of the main temple having a chat and using their prayer beads. Buddhist practice can sometimes be a solitary thing so it's important for people to have a bit of fellowship from time to time. 

2. Reciting Sutras

This photo caught my attention because the woman was sitting against the wall reciting sutras like a lot of the other people at the temple but she was also wearing one of the uniforms that the women who chant every night at the temple. I had missed the chanting time which is generally one of the most important and busiest times of the day at the temple, but she seemed to have stuck around for a little more work.

3. Prayer Beads

This guy was sitting in the middle of the thick of things where people are lighting their incense and doing the majority of their prayers facing the main shrine. He just sat himself down and was using his prayer beads at the same time. I was lucky to catch him looking directly at me at the same time I took the photo. Prayer beads generally wrap around your wrists but this guy the XL version and was busy reciting while looking at the weird-looking foreign guy!

4. Offering Incense. 

Whenever I visit Longshan it is usually in the early evening or at night. When I visited this time I was there in the early afternoon. This kind of shot is quite common and isn't very special but the reason I include it here and not in the gallery below is because I like the light. It's not common to get this kind of light and I like the way it shines on the young woman and the incense urn in front of here.

5. Temple Security

This shot interested me because I noticed the monk was hanging out in the security office while the security guard was watching people outside the door. They both seemed to notice me at the same time and glanced over as I took the shot. It's interesting to see security at a temple in Taiwan but Longshan temple isn't your typical temple so it's probably not that strange.

Hands and feet

Hands and beads

6. Hands

I'm always interested when I'm at the temple to get shots of peoples hands. I'm including these two shots for different reasons. The first shot is of a woman reciting Buddhist sutras while another woman is walking by in high-heels at the main hall of the temple. The second shot is of a woman with prayer beads hidden in the corner of one of the rear hall shrines. She was hidden from plain sight, so I focused on her hands and what she was doing instead and I like the result. 


Gallery