Old State Tianhou Temple

Old State Tianhou Temple

Old State Tianhou Temple

Old State Tianhou Temple is located on West Lower Street in Old State Town. It was first built in the 17th year of the Daoguang reign during the Qing Dynasty (1837), destroyed by war in the 5th year of the Xianfeng reign (1855), and rebuilt in the 27th year of the Guangxu reign (1901).

The temple is enclosed by high firewalls, covering an area of 1,220 square meters. A memorial archway was built against the west side of the front wall, with a pair of stone lions placed in front of the archway (now destroyed). Today, two main halls and four wing rooms remain. The front hall is 23.8 meters from the front wall, featuring a single-eave flush-gable roof covered with clay tiles, using a mixed post-and-lintel and through-tenon construction style. It has a front porch, a width of three bays (16.3 meters), and a total depth of 6.9 meters. Its interior decoration is the same as that of Renshou Palace, though the inner eaves decoration is no longer in its original form. The hall contains a caisson ceiling, beneath which the exposed beams are of the Mingfu type. The rear hall is similar in form to the front hall, with a width of 16.5 meters and a total depth of 12.2 meters. The beams inside the rear hall are exposed, with neatly cut sections, and the dougong brackets are carved. On both the front and rear sides of the rear hall, there is one single-slope wing room each, measuring 4.13 meters in width and 3.8 meters in depth. Against the back wall, there is a stone-carved flower stand.

The Tianhou Temple served as the guildhall for merchants from Fujian Province, primarily enshrining the sea goddess Mazu. Legend has it that during the Song Dynasty, the daughter of the Lin family from Meizhou in Putian, Fujian, after her death, “manifested miracles” at sea. During the Yuan Dynasty, she was granted the divine title of “Tianfei” (Heavenly Consort), and in the 19th year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1680), after the unification of Taiwan, the Fujianese general Shi Lang petitioned to elevate her status due to her “miraculous assistance in battle,” resulting in her being honored with the title of “Tianhou” (Heavenly Empress). During the Ming Dynasty, Zheng He prayed to this deity before voyaging to the Western Seas, and merchant ships also worshipped her before setting sail. Many temples were built along the coast in her honor. The existing two main halls of the Old State Tianhou Temple feature majestic layouts and well-preserved structures, making it one of the better-preserved ancient buildings in the county. It has been designated as a cultural relic protection unit of Huangping County.

Lin Mo, also known as Mòniáng, was affectionately called “Auntie,” “Goddess Mother,” or “Mazu” by the people. She was from Putian.

Born on the 23rd day of the third month in the first year of the Jianlong reign of the Song Dynasty (960) into an official family on Meizhou Island in Putian County, Lin Mo never cried from birth until she was one month old. As a result, she was named “Mo” (meaning “silent”), also called “Mòniáng.” Her great-grandfather Bǎojí served as a military commander under the Zhou regime but resigned from office and lived in seclusion on Meizhou. Her grandfather Fú inherited his family’s honors and served as the Fujian Regional Commander. Her father Yuán held the position of Coastal Patrol Inspector of Fujian during the early Song Dynasty. Lin Mo was exceptionally intelligent—by the age of 8, while studying with a tutor, she could already grasp the main ideas of the texts. As she grew older, she loved chanting scriptures and worshipping Buddha. … More details about Lin Mo ++