Tainan Grand Mazu Temple
Main Deities
About
Tainan Grand Mazu Temple was the first official Mazu temple in Taiwan — and it hides in the lanes of the West Central District, in what was once the palace of Prince Ningjing, Zhu Shugui of the Ming. It is the only Mazu temple in Taiwan converted from a royal residence, and its stature shows. After Admiral Shi Lang took Taiwan, he turned the palace into a Tianfei (Heavenly Consort) shrine, later elevated to a Tianhou (Empress of Heaven) temple, making it the heart of Mazu worship in the Qing era — imperial plaque after imperial plaque hangs within. Those seeking love shouldn't miss the Yue Lao (Matchmaker God) in the rear hall: he is said to look after the unrequited and to warm a cooling romance, and in Tainan his efficacy is the stuff of legend.
History
In 1684, Admiral Shi Lang petitioned the Kangxi Emperor to build this temple by imperial decree — the only Mazu temple in Taiwan so commissioned, which is how it earned the name 'Grand Tianhou Temple' and the highest rank in the state sacrificial rites. The ground beneath it had been the residence of Prince Ningjing, Zhu Shugui of the Ming — a princely mansion turned Mazu temple as one dynasty gave way to the next. Its official status gave it a solemn, imposing layout, and the gold-faced Mazu statue in the main hall ranks the highest of any Mazu temple in Taiwan. Within, precious Qing imperial plaques such as 'Radiant over the Seas' survive, and it is now a National Monument. And the efficacious Yue Lao in the rear hall is, for generations of Tainan locals, the first name that comes to mind when praying for love — one of the most popular matchmaking sites in the old capital.
Tainan Grand Mazu Temple
West Central District, Tainan City
Visitor Info
Address
No. 18, Ln. 227, Sec. 2, Yongfu Rd, West Central District, Tainan City
Region
West Central District, Tainan City