"Cat Temple" Sanyi Yitian Temple: Pray to the Gods and Pet the Cats

Reporter Lin Yuling / Reported and photographed in New Taipei City

Prayer and worship are among the distinctive features of Taiwanese folk culture, and temples can be found everywhere. However, in Sanyi District, New Taipei City, the “Yitian Temple” is not only bustling with incense and known for its efficacious deities, but it also has one standout feature—numerous cats reside here, accompanying worshippers in prayer and chanting, earning it the nickname “Cat Temple” and making it one of Taiwan’s unique temples.

▲ Known as the “Cat Temple,” Sanyi Yitian Temple has quickly become a favorite spot for cat-loving worshippers.

Take the Luzhou Line of the MRT to “Sanhua Junior High School Station” to reach the 56-year-old “Sanyi Yitian Temple.” It is reported that the temple began taking in stray cats over a decade ago. Most temples would consider stray cats and dogs entering the premises disrespectful to the deities, but Wang Xiuying, a member of Yitian Temple’s chanting group, believes, “Cats are living beings just like people, and if they come to the temple, it must be fate.”

▲ Yitian Temple, established 56 years ago, began adopting stray cats over a decade ago.

Teacher Wang Xiuying’s compassion echoes the Buddhist teaching of “equality of all sentient beings,” and other committee members, temple caretakers, and volunteers have joined together to care for these little lives. Gradually, the number of cats at Yitian Temple grew, and there are now about 10 stray cats who are regular “diners.”

▲ The cats rest on prayer mats, keeping worshippers company as they pray for blessings.

Word of mouth quickly spread among worshippers and tourists, making this a favorite temple for cat-loving devotees. In addition to seeing the cats, the alleys around Yitian Temple offer plenty of local cuisine, mainly traditional snacks such as radish rice cakes, braised pork rice, shark meat jerky, shaved ice, and fried foods.

%There are many popular eateries in the vicinity.%