Hualien Shen An Temple
Main Deities
About
Folk tradition holds that in 1949 (the 38th year of the Republic), the Queen Mother of the West, also called Wangmu Niangniang, Mu Niang or Yaochi Jinmu, manifested and came down to earth at Ji'an in Hualien. Hualien Shen An Temple is the birthplace of the Queen Mother faith in Taiwan. Glittering with gold and regal in style, it is dedicated to Mu Niang and holds a high place among her temples. Shen An Temple and the nearby Cihui Tang share the same origin and later divided into the Yellow-Robe and Green-Robe branches, but as the place where it all began, Shen An Temple still draws countless worshippers back to seek their roots. If you want to reach the source of Mu Niang worship, this is a Hualien stop not to skip.
History
According to legend, in 1949 (the 38th year of the Republic) the Queen Mother of the West manifested around Ji'an in Hualien and watched over the area. Grateful for her answered prayers, the faithful built a temple to enshrine her there, and that was the beginning of Shen An Temple. From Hualien, worship of Mu Niang spread outward. Shen An Temple and Cihui Tang, sharing one source, branched into the Yellow-Robe and Green-Robe systems, and each spread across Taiwan. As the birthplace of the faith, Shen An Temple has been expanded many times and its halls have grown ever grander. Its annual Queen Mother procession, registered as folk cultural heritage in 2013, is still one of Hualien's major yearly events, and it keeps each new generation of worshippers mindful of how Mu Niang came down to earth.
Hualien Shen An Temple
Ji'an Township, Hualien County
Visitor Info
Address
No. 118, Cihui 3rd St, Ji'an Township, Hualien County
Region
Ji'an Township, Hualien County
Plan Your Visit
- Hours
- Daily 5:30 AM – 9:30 PM
- When to Go
- The annual Wangmu Niangniang procession is a major yearly event in Hualien; Wangmu Niangniang's birthday on lunar 7/18 (the Peach Banquet) is also celebrated in grand style.
Checked on 2026-10-13 · Sources: Google Maps