Tianhou Temple on Fuqian Street

Tianhou Temple on Fuqian Street

Tianhou Temple on Fuqian Street is a cultural heritage site protected by Luoyuan County.

Tianhou Temple on Fuqian Street

Tianhou Temple on Fuqian Street is located on Fuqian Street, Dongmen Neighborhood Committee, Fengshan Town, Luoyuan County. The original temple was built northeast of Fusu Temple at the southern end of Chen Bridge in Luoyuan. In the fifth year of the Qianlong reign (1740), a local merchant from Suzhou relocated it to this site. In the 35th year of Qianlong (1770), the “Dressing Tower” was rebuilt, and in the 58th year of Qianlong (1793), it was renovated again.

The temple has a total width of 23 meters, a depth of 72.5 meters, and covers an area of 1,667.5 square meters. It faces east and has a rectangular layout. It consists sequentially of the temple gate, stage, side halls, main hall, rear hall, and the Dressing Tower above it. The structure is made of wood and earth, with a flush gable roof. The main hall is 16.5 meters wide and 14.1 meters deep, with four pillars across the front and five rows of pillars inside. The caisson ceiling in the main hall follows the architectural style of the Ming dynasty. The deity worshipped here is Lady Lin Mo, the daughter of the Du Yijian, an imperial inspector from Putian, Xinghua. She was born in the late Five Dynasties period, displayed extraordinary spiritual powers in her youth, and could predict fortune and misfortune. She lived in seclusion for thirty years and ascended to heaven on the 29th day of the ninth lunar month in the fourth year of the Yongxi era (987) during the Song Dynasty’s Taizong reign, at the age of twenty-nine. She was known for her many miracles, and sailors often prayed to her during storms—with their prayers always answered. In the fourth year of the Xuanhe era (1122), a temple was established in her honor and bestowed the name “Shunji Temple.” In the 25th year of the Shaoxing era (1155), she was granted the title “Chongfu Lady”; in the first year of the Shaoding era (1190), she was titled “Linghui Consort”; in the 18th year of the Yuanyou era during the Yuan dynasty (1281), she was honored as “Protectress of the Nation, Illustrious and Manifest Heavenly Consort”; in the fourth year of the Shunzhi era of the Qing dynasty (1647), she was titled “Tianhou” (Heavenly Empress); in the 59th year of the Kangxi era (1720), special spring and autumn sacrifices were instituted in her honor; in the second year of the Yongzheng era (1724), she was titled “Heavenly Sacred Mother”; and in the 15th year of the Qianlong era (1750), her parents were also honored—her father as “Jiqing Duke” and her mother as “Lady Jiqing.” The main hall of the temple resembles that of Chen Taiwei Temple in Zhongfang, leading scholars to speculate that it may have been a temporary residence for Chen Taiwei, essentially a smaller version of that temple. It holds significant value for the study of Chen Taiwei Temple.

A cross-strait cultural relic, it was listed as a county-level cultural heritage site in November 1986.

After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, apart from the removal of the stage and renovation of the temple gate, the rest of the structure has remained largely original. The stage was rebuilt in 1996, the gate tower was restored in 2002, and the Linshui Temple was newly built north of the temple in 2004. The pillars have suffered termite damage. The temple currently serves as a leisure venue for elderly residents. Overall preservation is fair.

The temple is under the administration of the People’s Government of Fengshan Town, Luoyuan County, and managed by the Tianhou Temple Cultural Heritage Management Council of Luoyuan County.

Tianhou Temple on Fuqian Street is situated in the bustling urban area of Luoyuan County. The temple ground is over one meter lower than the road level, and the surrounding area was originally a residential district for dock workers and fishermen. A large-scale Mazu welcoming ceremony is held annually on the 13th day of the first lunar month. The south side of the temple adjoins Fuqian Commercial Street, which sees heavy pedestrian and vehicular traffic and considerable noise. The other three sides are surrounded by residences, and many local residents are devotees of Mazu. Fengshan Town has a population of approximately 60,000.

Fengshan Town: Located in the county seat of Luoyuan, Fengshan Town covers a total area of 32.2 square kilometers, governs 4 neighborhood committees and 9 agricultural villages, and has a total population of 60,000. In recent years, the town’s Party committee and government have leveraged advantages in location, information, talent, and market resources, focusing on economic development while advancing both material and cultural progress. Basic小康 (moderately prosperous society) standards were achieved by 1995. The town has been successively recognized at the provincial and municipal levels as a “Famous Town of Fujian Province,” “Top 100 Towns of Fujian Province,” “Science and Technology Demonstration Town of Fujian Province,” “Advanced Town in Developing Export-Oriented Economy of Fujian Province,” “Advanced Town in Mass Fitness Activities for Hundreds of Millions of Farmers in Fujian Province,” and more... More details about Fengshan Town++