Da Tianhou Temple, commonly known as Tainan Mazu Temple, was built in the 23rd year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1684 AD). It was originally the residence of Ming Ningjing Wang. After Lang led his army to pacify Taiwan, he attributed the credit to Mazu and expanded it into a grand Mazu Temple. The Tianhou Palace has undergone several renovations and is listed as a historical site in Taiwan.
Tianhou, also known as Mazu, is a deity worshipped by boatmen, sailors, travelers, merchants, and fishermen throughout history. The Mazu culture in Taiwan is particularly strong and related to the culture of coastal fishermen. Before the ship sets sail, it is necessary to first offer sacrifices to the Queen of Heaven, praying for blessings such as favorable winds and safety. A Queen of Heaven shrine is also erected on the ship for worship.
The Da Tian Hou Temple is the only Mazu temple among nearly 400 Mazu temples in Taiwan that is included in official Spring and Autumn festivals. The statues and sculptures in the temple are all created by renowned craftsmen. The preciousness and richness of ancient plaques and couplets are rare in temples across Taiwan.
The Great Heavenly Palace can be divided into four main parts: the Sanchuan Hall, the Worship Hall, the Main Hall, and the Rear Hall, known as the "Four Entrances". There is a Danqian stone wall in front of the main hall, carved with flying dragons, stepping on waves and soaring clouds, which is quite imposing and rare in other temples, fully demonstrating the style of imperial architecture.
Arriving at the main entrance, the first thing you see is a pair of stone lions with exquisite carving and unique shapes. The entrance gate is tall and majestic, without the traditional painted door gods of temples, but equipped with many protruding wooden nails, and on both sides are eight horses and dragon and tiger patterns carved from granite, majestic and rough.
Looking inward from the main hall gate, through the gradually rising courtyards and narrow spaces of the houses, one can see the full body Mazu statue shrouded in smoke and covered in golden curtains. Mazu has kind eyes and a serene demeanor. It is said that Mazu used to have pink noodles, but after being influenced by incense for a hundred years, the Mazu we see now has turned into black "cigarette noodles". This statue was made by a master from Quanzhou about 300 years ago and can be considered one of the representatives of clay sculpture in Taiwan. On both sides of the Mazu statue, there are shrines dedicated to the Dragon Kings of the East, West, South, and North, as well as the Narcissus King.
In addition, another feature of the temple is that in addition to the Mazu statue in the main hall, which is called "Auntie", there are also Mazu statues called "Second Mother" and "Third Mother". The shape is only half that of Auntie, with a pink face and open eyes, which is different from the drooping eyelids of the Mazu statue. Sometimes it is worth visiting. Travel Tips Address:No. 18, Lane 227, Section 2, Yongfu Road, Zhongxi District, Tainan City, Taiwan 700
Telephone:+886 6-222-7194,+ 886 6-221-1178
Opening Hours:5: 30-21:00, please refer to the official website for details. Admission ticket:free