Taoyuan Tourism
Blessings are given to those who worship - Temple blessing tour
Learn about the local beliefs at century-old temples
The main folk beliefs in Taiwan are Taoism and Buddhism, but the religious culture varies from region to region within Taiwan. Taoyuan has several century-old temples which are the important religious centers for locals and the epitome of local life. Watching performances and playing Chinese chess at squares in front of the temples, munching on delicacies in food markets around the temples and seeking blessing during Chinese New Year have all become part of the daily life. The journey to seek a blessing will bring the visitors to experience the local culture and beliefs.
Etiquette for worship
In traditional Taiwanese temples, after one passes the gate and archway, one will be in the realm of the gods. Visitors should avoid eating any meat product and should admire the religious art such as the architecture, Koji pottery and stone sculpture with respect.
Most Taoist temples have three gates with the central gate being the gate for the gods. The central gate is only opened during major festivals. The left gate is known as the dragon gate with a painting or sculpture of a dragon on the wall while the right gate is the tiger gate which is decorated with a powerful-looking tiger. Visitors should enter through the dragon gate and exit from the tiger gate. If the temple has a map, visitors can follow the route shown on the map.
Basic procedure for worship
Step 1
Prepare offeringsPrepare fresh flowers and fruits as offerings for the gods. One can usually purchase these near the temple.
Step 2
Light the incense or put your palms togetherTake one or three incense sticks and pay respect to the Jade Emperor Censer outside. After paying respect to the Jade Emperor, pay respect to the main god honored by the temple.
Step 3
Say the prayer in silenceWhen paying your respect, say your name, the place you are from, the content of your prayer in your heart and remember to thank the gods for their blessings.
Reminders： If you are a believer of other religion and cannot hold incense sticks, you can put your palms together or visit with a sincere heart.
Level Three National Ancient Monument in Taiwan - Jing Fu Gong Temple
Also known as “Da Miao” by the locals, Jingfu Temple is the local religious center in Taiyuan built in 1811. With more than a hundred years of history, it is listed as a Level Three National Ancient Monument witnessing the development of Taoyuan. The appearance of Jingfu Temple is gorgeous. The roofs of the front and back halls adopt a structure rarely seen in traditional Taiwanese architecture. When one enters the main hall, one can see the solemn Sacred Prince of Zhangzhou. When looking up, one can see layers of dragons and tigers carved. This exquisite and magnificent view is a must-see architectural art in Jingfu Temple.
06:00-21:00，Open all year round
No. 208, Zhongzheng Rd., Taoyuan Dist., Taoyuan City
MoreActivities that you should not miss
- On January 17th (lunar calendar), there is a pilgrimage and blessing ceremony while on February 15th, the birthday of the Sacred Prince, the Temple will host performances, parades and other Taiwanese folk arts.
Temple for Qing Dynasty Art - Sanyuan Temple
Sanyuan Temple is the oldest temple in Bade district and is known as the major Bade temple. It mainly honors the Three Great Emperor Officials: the Heavenly Official, the Earthly Official and the Water Official. Since its establishment during the Qing dynasty, the Sanyuan Temple has been very popular and serves as an important religious center for the locals. Its magnificent stone sculptures, intricate Koji potteries, and elegant wood sculptures were all made by famous masters during that time, and hence are important features that one must not miss when visiting the Temple.
05:00-20:00
No. 2, Zhongshan Rd., Bade Dist., Taoyuan City
Activities that you should not miss
- Turtle Blessing Activity is a traditional festival held on February 2nd on the lunar calendar. During the festival, people can see a large turtle made of glutinous rice placed as an offering in the Temple. It symbolizes safety, prosperity, and longevity.
The Oldest Temple for the God of Fortune - Wufu Temple
With more than three centuries of history, Wufu Temple is the oldest temple honoring the God of Fortune in Taiwan and is a Level Three National Ancient Monument. It mainly honors Marshal Zhao and is called the “Nakan Marshak Temple”. It is a great place to seek good fortune. When one enters Wufu Temple, one should slowly savor the beauty of traditional temple architecture. The intricate wooden sculpture, stone sculpture, and Koji pottery are all of the high standards. The valuable artifacts in Wufu Temple include the large dragon and tiger Koji pottery and “Heaven Censer” in front of the censers.
05:00-21:00，Open all year round
No. 1, Wufu Rd., Luzhu Dist., Taoyuan City
Activities that you should not miss
- During the water lantern event for Chungyuan Festival on the lunar calendar, a three-floor-tall water lantern decorated vehicle leads the believers around the city and finally releases water lanterns at Nankan Creek for a blessing.
Rarely Seen Male Guanyin Statue - Shoushanyan Guanyin Temple
The ancient Shoushanyan Guanyin Temple was built in 1742 and is also known as the Guanyin Temple on top of the rock. It mainly honors Guanshiyin Pusa, but the appearance of its Guanyin is male, which is rare in Taiwan. This is very different from the normal female Guanyin appearance and has become one major characteristic of the temple. Located in the Lingding Village of Guishan District, Guanyin Temple welcomes the cherry blossoms at its back mountain every spring. The pink dots fit well with the solemn Temple, making it suitable for a trip to seek blessing and observe the flowers.
05:00-21:00，Open all year round
No. 111, Ln. 6, Sec. 2, Wanshou Rd., Lingding Vill., Guishan Dist., Taoyuan City
The Oldest Monastery in Daxi - Zhai-Ming Monastery
When entering the Monastery, once can hear the chanting sound which calms one’s soul. This is the oldest monastery in Daxi, the Zhai-Ming Monastery. With more than a century of history, one can see the marking of time everywhere. The swallowtail arch style Fujian traditional building and the solid dragons on left and right are the must-see attractions of Zhai-Ming Monastery.Other than visiting Zhai-Ming Monastery, one should not miss the architectural concrete building that is newly built behind the monastery. Along with the pink cherry blossom, the regular and geometric dining hall has become a newly emerged check-in spot for locals.
09:00-17:00
No. 153, Zhaiming St., Daxi Dist., Taoyuan City
Reminders：
- In order to maintain tranquility, photography is prohibited indoors. One can only take pictures of the external appearance.
The Oldest Temple in Zhongli - Ren-Hai Temple
With a century of history, Ren-Hai Temple is the oldest temple in Zhongli and the religious center in Southern Taoyuan. The exterior of Ren-Hai Temple follows the traditional architecture style in Southern China with the main god honored at the center, emphasizing the symmetry. There are vibrantly colored and vivid looking Taoism gods and dragons on the roof. If one looks up in the Temple, one can see an octagonal caisson with layers of wooden sculpture to support the sky window. This demonstrates the intricate skills of the craftsman and is a must-see art when visiting Ren-Hai Temple.
05:00-21:00
No. 198, Yanping Rd., Zhongli Dist., Taoyuan City.
Activities that you should not miss
- Mazu’s birthday on March 23rd (lunar calendar) and Chungyuan Festival (offering and water lantern) always attract believers from all over Taiwan to seek a blessing.
Worship Offering Pig Competition with Hundred Years of History - Furen Temple
At the end of Heping Old Street which is near Daxi Old Street, there is a temple more than a hundred years old. Furen Temple was built in 1813 with a modest exterior. It still upholds the tradition of worship offering a pig competition. The top ten local families take turns to offer to the gods the offering pigs with intricate designs drawn on their skins. This is accompanied by traditional music using peikuan and drum. The believers from all over Taiwan also join in the parade; it is an experience that visitors should not miss.
04:00-20:30
No. 100, Heping Rd., Daxi Dist., Taoyuan City
MoreActivities that you should not miss
- The worship offering pig competition takes place on February 11th (lunar calendar). One can enjoy folk opera and music performance there. As time progressed, the offering pigs are made using food like vermicelli and oranges. This is a great opportunity to experience a local religious festival.
Buddhism Art Hall - Hongyuan Daqian World
Compared to the colorful and splendid Chinese palace-style architecture for traditional Taiwanese temples, Hongyuan Daqian World combines modern aesthetics with Buddhism art. The Temple was created solely by Abbot Shibenzhang. He used the simplicity of natural stones, the temperature of the wood, flowing water and flora to create a zen atmosphere. Along with the intricate statue and drawing collection in the temple, one feels that one has entered the Buddhism art hall when entering Hongyuan Daqian World. Each flower and each corner showcases the modest and detailed aesthetics of Buddhism art.
2pm-5pm from Tuesday to Friday, closed from Saturday to Monday
No. 58, Ln. 89, Sec. 3, Ren’ai Rd., Luzhu Dist., Taoyuan City
