Tien Tan (Altar of Heaven)

Altar of Heaven, or Tien Tan, is also known as the Lord of Heaven (Tien Kung) Temple. The temple is dedicated to Jade Emperor, the supreme Taoist deity.

Taoist followers believe in fatalism When they encounter troubles in their lives, they often go to the Altar of Heaven to ask the Jade Emperor for a change of destiny. This is accomplished by transferring one's ill fortune to a straw doll and substituting good fortune for it.

The local people go to the temple on the 1st and 15th days of each lunar month, to worship the Jade Emperor and pray for the well-being of their loved ones. Solemn birthday celebrations are held for the Jade Emperor on the 9th day of the 1st lunar month every year.

The Altar of Heaven was built in 1854 and has undergone many renovations since then. Compared to all the other temples in Taiwan, the Altar of Heaven houses the most deities worshipped, hosts the most temple fairs, and welcomes the most people that come to worship.

The Altar of Heaven has other unique features. For example, while other temples in Taiwan normally have door gods painted on their doors, this temple has door nails because it is where the Jade Emperor is worshipped. The temple has five pairs of dragon columns. Every column has a single dragon that is surrounded by carved patterns such as gatherings of immortals and carps jumping over the dragon gate. While the dragon columns in other temples in Taiwan often raise their heads, the dragons here simply spread their heads on the surface of the columns, with their whiskers elegantly curved.