Datianhou Temple (Great Queen of Heaven Temple)

The Great Queen of Heaven Temple (Datianhou Temple) was built in 1684 for the worship of Taiwan's most popular deity -- Matsu, Goddess of the Sea. As the patron deity of fishermen, her birthday, on the 23rd day of the third lunar month, is celebrated each year with frenetic explosions of colorful activity.

The goddess is usually flanked by two guardians, Eyes that See a Thousand Miles and Ears that Hear on the Wind. These two are said to have once been malevolent spirits who were reformed by Matsu's example and now use their powers to help her do good works.

A second deity in this temple is the Old Man under the Moon, a sort of matchmaker god worshipped especially by unmarried men and women. They believe that all they need to do is to pray to the god for a red "matrimonial thread" or to apply their rouge before him, and they will quickly find a mate.

The temple is full of architectural features as well as things of cultural heritage. Indeed, it was listed as a Class One Historical Site in 1985 for its specific historical and cultural status. For example, inside the temple there are two dragon patterns, one rising and the other diving. There are flower and cloud decorations in between. The layout is simple and clean, giving a vivid effect. It is one of the best stone sculptures in Taiwan.

The dragon columns in the temple's worshipping hall are clean and powerful in style, and they are the masterpieces of dragon columns in Taiwan of the mid-Ching (Qing) Dynasty. Meanwhile, there is dragon relief on both sides of the white stone staircases in front of the temple's main door. They are prestigious and delicate, singling out the solemnity of the temple. Furthermore, the hexagonal base of the temple's base is covered with patterns of flowers, plants, birds and animals. Finally, on each side of the temple's middle door are drum stones, so called because they look like drums. They serve as a kind of door support to prevent shaking of the door and for use as decorations. Although these green granite door-supports are huge, the patterns on them are delicately carved.