Lugang Tianhou Temple
Main Deities
About
There is only one in all of Taiwan. Lugang Tianhou Temple, in Lugang Township, Changhua County, enshrines the founding Holy Mother statue from the Meizhou ancestral temple, and that is what it is proudest of. Dedicated to Mazu (the Heavenly Holy Mother), the temple's Mazu statue has been darkened to a glossy black by long years of incense smoke, so people affectionately call her 'Black-Faced Mazu.' The temple is grand and imposing, its wood and stone carvings the work of master craftsmen, and the 'bagua caisson ceiling' over the main hall is a treasure of Taiwanese craftsmanship. Step inside and you step into the faded glory captured in the old saying 'first Tainan, second Lugang, third Monga.' Every New Year, worshippers rush to light 'bright lamps' and perform the 'an tai sui' rite, and spots are often hard to get.
History
Lugang Tianhou Temple had already been built by 1683, the 22nd year of the Qing Kangxi reign. In 1725, the third year of the Yongzheng reign, Shi Shibang donated land and the temple moved to its present site, dedicated to the Heavenly Holy Mother. Lugang was then the largest trading port in central Taiwan; the saying 'first Tainan, second Lugang, third Monga' sums up its prosperity, and Tianhou Temple stood at the heart of the old streets, watching more than two hundred years of trade rise and fall. Under Japanese rule, a large-scale restoration began in 1927 and was completed in 1936, setting the layout you see today. Now the temple, Lugang Old Street, Moru Lane, and Jiuqu Lane together form a complete historic district, one of the best windows onto the culture of a Qing dynasty Taiwanese trading port.
Lugang Tianhou Temple
Lukang Township, Changhua County
Visitor Info
Address
No. 430, Zhongshan Rd, Lukang Township, Changhua County
Region
Lukang Township, Changhua County
Plan Your Visit
- Hours
- Daily 6:00 AM – 10:00 PM
- When to Go
- During the New Year, worshippers rush to light guangming lamps and perform Tai Sui rites, and spots are often hard to get; Mazu's birthday on lunar 3/23 is also an important day.
Checked on 2026-10-13 · Sources: Google Maps