Race to Offer the First Incense & Pray at Ten Major Temples for a Fortunate New Year

Racing to offer the first incense is a folk temple fair tradition during the Chinese New Year in Taiwan. Aside from symbolizing good luck, it also serves as a prayer for prosperity in the coming year. Starting from New Year’s Eve, after the reunion dinner, people begin visiting temples to offer incense and pray for blessings. On New Year’s Eve, some temples temporarily close their doors, seal the main incense burner with red paper, and await a divine sign indicating the auspicious hour of midnight before reopening. At that moment, worshippers waiting outside rush in to be the first to insert their incense sticks, hence the term “racing to offer the first incense.” It is believed that those who succeed in offering the first incense receive special blessings from the deities and enjoy good fortune throughout the year. For this reason, many people make a point to visit temples early on the first day of the Lunar New Year to pray, and some even queue overnight to secure the coveted first incense spot. Below is a list of the ten most popular temples during the New Year period when incense burning is at its peak—don’t miss out on your New Year temple visits and first incense race.

 

Beigang Chaotian Temple, also known as Beigang Mazu Temple or Tianhou Temple, enjoys year-round bustling incense offerings. The two most lively festivals each year are the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first lunar month and Mazu’s Birthday on March 23. During the Lantern Festival, the highlight is the lantern competition, while Mazu’s Birthday sees disciples and branch temples from all over returning to Beigang to pay homage, creating a grand-scale event. The temple parade features thunderous drums and gongs, drawing massive crowds that fill the streets—it’s the climax of the Mazu worship season. The entire town of Beigang is immersed in a thick atmosphere of religious devotion.

Nanputuo Taishe Temple was built in 1661 and has a history of over 300 years. Located in Kunjiang Village, Beimen District, it was originally constructed on Nankunsha Shoal during the Kangxi era of the Qing Dynasty. The temple gets its name from the shoal’s resemblance to the body of a kun fish (a giant mythical fish). Known as the “Foremost Temple Under Heaven,” it is one of the largest temple structures in Taiwan. The temple complex consists of two main halls: the front Taishe Temple, which enshrines the Five Lords of Heaven, and the rear Wanshan Hall, dedicated to the Deity of All Virtuous Spirits. The grand and expansive architecture, coupled with its exceptional popularity, makes it unparalleled across Taiwan.

Among the many famous Earth God temples in Taiwan, Nanshan Fude Temple in the north and Checheng Fu’an Temple in the south are considered the most representative, both being centers of local folk belief. Nanshan Fude Temple is located on a nearby mountain not far northeast of Hulongdi, at an elevation of about 295 meters. Established in 1736, it has a history of 260 years. The temple enshrines the God of Wealth and Virtue. It is said that the temple’s location enjoys exceptional feng shui, with prominent hills extending on either side of the site, forming a tripod-like shape resembling a traditional stove—a reference to the origin of the name “Hulongdi” (Stove Land). About fifty meters below the temple stands a massive rock, which geomancers call the “fire mother” of the stove. With a stove and its fire mother, the energy flows endlessly. Locals believe this to be an incredibly auspicious blessed land. The approximately two-meter-tall statue of the Earth God has a gold ingot in its hand, polished to a shine by the faithful. It is said that sincerely rubbing the ingot and praying can make one’s wishes come true.

Checheng Fu’an Temple is located in Checheng Township, Pingtung County, and is reputed to be the largest Earth God temple in Taiwan and even Southeast Asia. Fu’an Temple is said to have remarkable divine power, having blessed the local community for 300 years, making it the spiritual center of Hengchun. The main hall houses an Earth God statue adorned with numerous gold medals, allegedly bestowed by Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty, who awarded the deity a royal crown and dragon robe, adding to its majestic presence—it is considered the most imposing Earth God statue in the province. Aside from being the largest Earth God temple in Southeast Asia, Fu’an Temple has also unexpectedly become the temple with the “most first incense offerings” nationwide, thanks to its ninth consecutive year hosting a first incense event.