Penghu Tianhou Temple澎湖天后宫

Type

Temples and Abbeys (Gongguan)

Location

Taiwan, China · Taiwan · Magong City, Penghu County · No. 1, Zhengyi Street, Zhongyang Village

Coordinates

23.5648, 119.5639 Map ↗

School

Daoism in Taiwan

First built

Founding year unknown; existed at latest by 1604, the 32nd year of the Wanli era, Ming · During renovation in 1919, the stele 'Shen Yourong's Edict Repelling the Red-Haired Barbarians, Wybrand van Warwijck and Others' was unearthed beneath the altar; the surviving building was rebuilt in 1922–1923 under the Chaozhou-born master carpenter Lan Mu

Heritage status

National Historic Site (1983)

Overview

The Penghu Tianhou Temple is the oldest surviving temple in the Taiwan-Penghu region, principally enshrining Tianshang Shengmu (Mazu). Its date of founding is unknown; during a major renovation in 1919, a stele titled 'Shen Yourong's Edict Repelling the Red-Haired Barbarians, Wybrand van Warwijck and Others' was unearthed beneath the altar, recording that in the thirty-second year of the Wanli era of the Ming (1604), the Ming general Shen Yourong repelled the fleet of Wybrand van Warwijck, commander of the Dutch East India Company; it is the oldest surviving stele in the Taiwan-Penghu region, and confirms that the temple already existed by the Wanli era of the Ming at the latest. In 1683, after Shi Lang defeated the forces of the Zheng regime at Penghu, he memorialized requesting a title for Mazu, and the following year the Kangxi Emperor granted Mazu the additional title 'Tianhou' (Empress of Heaven), whereupon the temple's name was changed from Tianfei Gong to Tianhou Gong; the place name 'Magong' (present-day Magong) also derives from this temple. The surviving building dates from reconstruction in 1922–1923, directed by the Chaozhou-born master carpenter Lan Mu, in a five-bay, three-courtyard layout that introduced the Chaozhou style; its wood carving, painted decoration, Jiaozhi ceramic work and chihu (hornless dragon) window carvings are all refined, and it is regarded as the pinnacle of traditional Taiwanese temple architecture. In 1978 a plan to demolish and rebuild it was halted through the strong opposition of scholars including Chen Qilu, and in 1979 an approach of 'restorative repair' was adopted instead, preserving its original appearance. It was designated a historic site (originally Grade I) on December 28, 1983, and is today a National Historic Site.

Highlights

• The stele 'Shen Yourong's Edict Repelling the Red-Haired Barbarians, Wybrand van Warwijck and Others' (1604)
• Reconstruction directed by the Chaozhou craftsman Lan Mu
• The oldest temple in the Taiwan-Penghu region
• The origin of the place name 'Magong'