Lukang - the temples

Longshan Temple, Lukang

From Taipei, we got the bus to Lukang - or Lugang as it is also known. Lukang is a great little place. It was once a busy seaport; the name Lukang means 'deer harbour' which originates from the trade in deerskins during the Dutch colonial period.

Longshan Temple, Lukang

But when the port silted up, and the town refused to have a railway built, it fell into decline. This meant that much of the old architecture and culture of the city was preserved.

Longshan Temple, Lukang

There are countless temples here, but whilst we saw more, I'm going to focus on just three, and I don't have much to say about them, so this post will mostly be photos.

Longshan Temple, Lukang

Although not the first that we visited, the photo at the top is the Longshan Temple, so we'll start with that.


It was certainly the most beautiful of those in Lukang, especially in the evening, with all of the orange lanterns glowing in the courtyard.

Longshan Temple, Lukang

The dragons carvings on the pillars, which of course I didn't get a photo of, are among the best in Taiwan, as if the ceiling, again no photo - think I was too absorbed by the shaped doors and the lanterns.

Longshan Temple, Lukang

Wenwu Temple, Lukang

The next one is the Wenwu temple, which was the first one we visited, and is really two shrines in one.

Wenwu Temple, Lukang

Both built in 1811, one is a temple for scholars, used to raise culture and education, the other is a military shrine.

Tianhou Temple, Lukang

The third is the Tianhou or Mazu Temple, which is dedicated to Mazu, the Goddess of the Sea.

Tianhou Temple, Lukang

Over a million people a year come to worship at this shrine, which means a lot of incense sticks. All that smoke has, over the years, turned the statues face completely black.

Tianhou Temple, Lukang

Tianhou Temple, Lukang

Tianhou Temple, Lukang



Buei, Tianhou Temple, Lukang

One thing we did find out while we were in Lukang was why people keep throwing a pair of little red crescent shaped wooden blocks, rounded one side and flat on the other, while they are praying. Apparently these are the Buei, and they are thrown to ask the gods a question of for guidance.

Tianhou Temple, Lukang

The question is formed and the blocks held together then dropped. If the blocks land differently, i.e. one flat side down and the other flat side up, the answer is yes, if they land both flat side up, there is no answer, it is neutral. If the blocks both land flat side down, the answer is no.

Joss paper, Tianhou Temple, Lukang