Shantou Tin Hau Temple (Lao Ma Temple)

Shantou Tin Hau Temple (Lao Ma Temple)

Shantou Tin Hau Temple (Lao Ma Temple) is a cultural relic protection unit of Shantou City.

Located at the head of Waima Road, also known as Tin Hau Temple, it and the neighboring Guan Di Temple are among the earliest buildings in Shantou before the city’s port was established.

Lao Ma Temple was built during the Jiaqing reign of the Qing Dynasty and was renovated and reopened in 1992. Originally, this area was a sandy beach by the sea, where local ships setting sail and Teochew people emigrating overseas would come to worship and bid farewell, taking a bit of incense ash with them as a token of their longing for their hometown. Overseas Teochew people also often come here to pay homage upon returning home, to express their remembrance of their ancestors. The stone relief carvings on the temple’s gate walls and the colorful painted wood carvings on the beams and pillars are of high aesthetic value. Particularly notable are a pair of intricately carved openwork dragon pillars made from single blocks of stone, featuring standing statues of the Eight Immortals—craftsmanship of a very high level, typically seen only in imperial palaces and Confucian temples. The roof of the temple features the ceramic inlay art unique to the Chaoshan region, where colorful fired ceramic pieces are assembled into various patterns that are both beautiful and resistant to wind and rain erosion.

Address: Next to Guan Di Temple, No. 4 Shengping Road, Jinping District, Shantou City, Guangdong Province

Type: Temple, Historic Site, Historical Architecture

Recommended Visiting Time: 1–2 hours

Opening Hours:

Open all day

Ticket Information:

Free admission.

Transportation

In downtown Shantou, take bus routes 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 14, 17, 20, 22B, 42, 52, or 101 to Jinfengtan Station, then walk to the temple.