Hualien Gang Tian Temple
Main Deities
About
Hualien Gang Tian Temple is the largest Mazu temple in Hualien and Taitung, dedicated to the goddess locals fondly call 'Gang Tian Ma' (Mazu, the Empress of Heaven), and one of the important centers of faith in Hualien City. The grounds are broad, the buildings grand and richly decorated, and the huge double-dragon staircase and the 'spider weaving its web' caisson ceiling make a strong first impression. At its anniversary celebration at the end of each year, the temple holds a grand celebration and procession that brings out the warmth of Hualien's people. If you come to Hualien to worship Mazu, this is the place not to miss.
History
The story of Hualien Gang Tian Temple begins with a statue of Mazu that came across the sea. In the Jiaqing era of the Qing dynasty, an ancestor of a Lin family from Putian brought a statue of Mazu from Meizhou, and at first it was enshrined in the family home. After the war, the statue was entrusted to a Hualien resident surnamed Jian. After the great Hualien earthquake of 1951, worshippers began planning a temple. Construction started on the present site in Hualien City in 1977, on land donated by the wife and children of the then county magistrate Yang Zhongjing, and the temple was completed around 1983, taking the grand form it has today. Today the temple's anniversary celebration at the end of each year brings a large procession; Mazu statues from Baishatun, Beigang and elsewhere have joined it in past years, drawing tens of thousands of worshippers.
Hualien Gang Tian Temple
Hualien City, Hualien County
Visitor Info
Address
No. 15, Ln. 500, Sec. 1, Zhongshan Rd, Hualien City, Hualien County
Region
Hualien City, Hualien County
Plan Your Visit
- Hours
- Daily 6:00 AM – 8:00 PM
- Getting There
- Bus 305 from the rear exit of Hualien Station takes about 25 minutes. By car it is about 8 minutes (2.5 km) from Hualien Station; on foot, about 32 minutes.
- When to Go
- Busiest at the temple's anniversary celebration at the end of each year (around November–December). Mazu statues from Baishatun, Beigang and elsewhere have joined the procession in past years, drawing tens of thousands of worshippers.
Checked on 2026-10-12 · Sources: Google Maps, Hualien County Government news (anniversary procession)