Temple of the Wind God

Temple of the Wind God

The Temple of the Wind God is a cultural tourism attraction.

The Temple of the Wind God is a Grade III historic site located in West Central District, Tainan City. It is the only temple in Taiwan dedicated primarily to the worship of the Wind God and is counted among the Seven Temples and Eight Shrines of the historic Taiwan Prefecture City. Established in the fourth year of the Qianlong reign during the Qing Dynasty (1739) by Eshan, the regional inspector of Taiwan, it was situated on the right bank of the Nanhé Port waterway outside the Great West Gate of Taiwan Prefecture, next to the Anlan Bridge. Originally, the Temple of the Wind God had a four-courtyard layout: the first courtyard served as the main gate, the second as the official hall, the third as the Hall of the Wind God, and the fourth as the Hall of the Goddess of Mercy (Guanyin). The fourth courtyard was built after relocating the original official reception pavilion from Jiekouting at Chikan Street to this location, aiming to bless the safety of travelers and vessels passing through.

During the Japanese colonial period, under the urban redevelopment plan of Taisho 7 (1918), the original structures of the Temple of the Wind God were demolished. In Taisho 13 (1924), local gentry raised funds to rebuild the temple on the site of the former official hall (first courtyard). The deities originally enshrined in the Hall of the Wind God were moved here for worship. After several subsequent renovations, the temple took on its current appearance. The present-day Temple of the Wind God consists only of a traditional three-section compound. The main hall is three bays wide and includes an adjacent worship pavilion. The temple primarily enshrines the Wind God, with the left side originally dedicated to Magistrate Jiang Yuanshu—who has since been stolen—and the right side to the Buddha. Additionally, the temple also honors the Thunder God and the Lightning Goddess, attracting worshippers all year round.

Fengshen Temple

Must-visit reason: One of Taiwan’s most renowned ancient temples