Miaodao Xianying Palace

Miaodao Xianying Palace

Miaodao Xianying Palace is a cultural tourism attraction.

Miaodao Xianying Palace is located on Miaodao in Miaoshan County, Shandong Province. Originally built in the fourth year of the Xuanhe era of the Northern Song Dynasty (1122 AD), it is the earliest and most influential Mazu temple in northern China. Initially, it was a small Buddhist temple on Shamen Island (the ancient name for Miaodao), consisting of only three thatched cottages. As the Yuan Dynasty established its capital in Beijing and maritime trade flourished, most tribute goods destined for the capital were transported by sea from the southern coastal areas. At that time, Shamen Island was a crucial stop along the maritime transport route, and cargo ships had to anchor there and wait for favorable winds. Since most of the boatmen were from Fujian and devout followers of Mazu, they built a shrine to worship Mazu on the island, a practice that later became a custom.

Around the 16th year of the Yuan Dynasty (1279 AD), ship workers from Fujian and Zhejiang funded the expansion of the original site, adding more buildings and halls. The Buddhist temple was then converted into a Taoist site dedicated exclusively to Mazu, the Sea Goddess, commonly referred to as the “Sea Goddess Temple.” This marked the establishment of the first Mazu temple in China’s northern coastal areas and signaled the beginning of the northward spread of Mazu belief. During the Ming Dynasty, as incense offerings and the temple’s fame grew, Miaodao Mazu Temple effectively became the center of Mazu belief and culture in China’s northern coastal regions. Its influence extended not only along the seaports and inland rivers of the Bohai and Yellow Seas but also reached as far as Korea and Japan—so much so that the island’s ancient name “Shamen Island” was replaced by “Sea Goddess Temple Island.” In the first year of the Chongzhen Emperor’s reign during the Ming Dynasty, an official decree was issued to establish an official temple. Yang Guodong, the Left Commander of Shandong, carried out a large-scale expansion of the Mazu Temple under imperial order. The Chongzhen Emperor bestowed upon the temple the plaque inscribed with the name “Xianying Palace.” From then on, Miaodao Xianying Palace (Mazu Temple) reached the pinnacle of its fame and scale. Throughout the Qing Dynasty, under successive expansions by Emperors Kangxi, Qianlong, and Daoguang, Xianying Palace grew increasingly expansive, forming a complex of ancient temples centered around the main hall of Xianying Palace, supplemented by eight other major temples including Sanyuan Palace, Guan Di Temple, Dragon King Temple, and Jade Emperor Temple. Since the reform and opening-up period, the Miaoshan County government has carried out three large-scale renovations and restorations of Miaodao Xianying Palace, largely restoring its historical appearance. The temple remains active year-round with incense offerings, attracting over ten thousand worshippers during the annual Lantern Festival and Mazu’s birthday.

The reason the Mazu Temple was built on Miaodao is because the island is shaped like a phoenix, while the nearby Shaobing Island to its north resembles the sun. The two islands complement each other, creating a formation known as “a vermilion phoenix facing the rising sun,” considered an exceptionally auspicious feng shui site. During the Cultural Revolution in 1969, the original temple was destroyed, leaving only a statue and a mirror. It was rebuilt in 1983 and opened to visitors in 1985. Here, you can also visit Guan Di Temple.