Xiahai City God Temple

The Basics

Visiting Xiahai Chenghuang Temple offers a fascinating look at how religion plays out in Taiwanese day-to-day life. It’s particularly notable for its blend of Daoist beliefs and practices with local Taiwanese folk religion. As one of the busiest temples in Taipei, Xiahai Chenghuang Temple attracts more than just lovesick youth. You’ll see students leaving pink paper offerings on the altar in hopes of divine intervention on their exams and older citizens paying their respects to Chenghuang himself to help tip the balance for a more favorable outcome in the afterlife.

Things to Know Before You Go

• Xiahai Chenghuang Temple is a must-visit for spiritual travelers or those looking for a glimpse of modern Taiwanese culture.

• Remember to dress respectfully, as this is an active place of worship.

• The temple is wheelchair-accessible.

How to Get There

To get to Xiahai Chenghuang Temple, take the metro to Shuanglian Station, then catch the Red 33 bus to Dihua Street. Other public buses make stops nearby at Yanping and Nanjing West Road.

When to Get There

The temple is open daily throughout the year, but one of the most festive times to visit is on the Xiahai City God’s birthday, during the fifth lunar month (usually in May or June). During this 3-day festival, a procession of lion dances, martial arts displays, and god dances stretches for more than a half mile (1 kilometer) leading to the temple.

Journey of the City God

The statue of the City God housed in this Taipei temple had quite the journey to get there. Originally located in Fujian province on Mainland China, the statue was relocated across the straight to Taiwan in 1821. In 1853, conflict in Monga prompted local Tong-An settlers to flee with the City God once again, this time to the Dadaocheng neighborhood where it remains.