Songshan Ciyou Temple 松山慈祐宮

Share

---

Tweet

Sitting at the eastern entrance of Raohe Street Night market is the Ciyou temple, which is the religious center of the area. The temple is dedicated to the Goddess Matsu, with a blackened statue of her as the centerpiece. The temple was completed in 1753 and was also an important centerpiece of the old Xikou transportation area near Songshan Station. 

​Historical Background:
Songshan Ciyou Temple was established in 1753 by a wondering monk who found fellow followers of Matsu in the area, after ten years of collecting donations. 
Starting in the Qing Dynasty, the area around Ciyou Temple and Songshan station was called Xikou (tin port), an important transportation hub in Taiwan (for more information about this old industrial area in East Taipei, check out our blog here). From Songshan station, goods from Taipei, Keelung, and Yilan could be directly loaded to the Keelung River and transported to the sea. However due to silting, the Keelung River became less and less import in terms of transportation, and the area around Raohe Street became obsolete, especially after the much wider Bade street was built right next to it.
In order to help business in the area, the Taipei city government established a tourist night market on Raohe Street on May 11th, 1987, which was the second tourist night market established in Taipei.
The temple has become the main religious center of the area, and is the main Matsu Temple in eastern Taipei. 

Price:
Free! But don't you dare come with an empty wallet. 

Hours:
4 PM to 12 AM

Tours:
You can book a 2-hr Raohe Night Market Walking Private Tour with a Tour Guide, or Taipei at Night: Din Tai Fung Dinner & Raohe Street Night Market Guided Tour on TripAdvisor here, KKday here, or Klook here . ​

Where to stay:
High end: We have stayed at and recommend the Nangang Marriott (book on Booking.com here or Agoda here). We have also stayed at and recommend the Yuanshan Grand Hotel, once the tallest building in Taiwan and still the most grand (book on Booking.com here or Agoda here). 
Looking for a hotel? We recommend booking through Booking.com here, which provides the best quality selection of accommodation in Taiwan.
Find out where to stay in our Taiwan hotels guide or search for the best hotel deals in Taiwan here.

How to get there:
By MRT:
Take the MRT green line to Songshan station (the last station), and get out at exit 2, 3, or 4, and continue walking north for about 1 minute to Raohe street. You can also book an MRT travel pass on Klook here.
By Train /TRA: 
​Raohe Street is within walking distance of Songshan TRA station. Book tickets via the normal train (TRA)  on Klook here.
By Car:
If you travel there by car, there is a parking garage on Bade street. If you are looking for car rentals, you can also search Qeeq here, Klook here, or  KKday here. You can also check out our car rental guide here. ​
By Scooter:
There is scooter parking next to Songshan elementary school and on Songhe street in front of Rainbow bridge. Do not park on areas with a red line; this place is a hot spot for parking tickets, so beware. Looking for scooter rental in Taipei? You can search on Klook here or KKday here to search for options. You can also check out our scooter rental guide here. 
By Bicycle: 
Cycling is the best way to enjoy Taiwan's landscapes if you have the time and energy. Looking for bicycle rentals in Taiwan? You can use Taiwan's many Youbike sharing stations, or search for rentals on KKday here, and search for tours on Klook here. You can also check out our Taiwan cycling guide here. You can also book a Sunset Riverside Bike Ride and Historical Tour, 4 Hour Cycling in Taipei, Ultimate 8-Hour Cycling City Tour, or Taipei City Bike Tour with Night Market Experience on TripAdvisor here. 
For more information, check out our Taiwan transportation guide here. 

Map:

Our Journey:

I have been to Songshan Ciyou Temple many times. It is right next to where I live in Nangang. It is very busy most of the time, and clearly the most popular temple in the area. 

You can also find colored lanterns across from Ciyou temple at night.
Currently Raohe Street is one of the most popular night markets in Taipei, both for local people and foreigners alike. 

You can see the entrance to the night market is right next to the temple. 

At night you can expect to see lots of people here.

View of Ciyou Temple celebrating the 1036th birthday of the goddess Matsu. 

Another view of the front of the temple during the day.

Main entrance. 

View of the roof.

Main sacrificial area. 

Ceiling decor.

Main altar and sacrifices. 

View looking north.

Main altar. 

The sacrificial food here is first placed on tables as sacrifice, then later eaten by the worshippers. 

Service counter. 

Back of the temple, which also has many carts. 

The back of the temple is three stories tall. 

Cement mural. 

Third floor roof.

View of Rainbow Bridge from the back of the temple. 

Another view of the Keelung River. 

View north of the Keelung River. 

Third floor decorations. 

I think the ashes of people are held in these yellow towers. 

Huge drum on the second floor. 

Second floor worship area. 

View from above.

Swan decor on the second floor.

First floor worship area. 

Burning ghost money on the first floor. 

Ghost money is thought to be useful to gods and ancestors in the afterlife and brings good luck to those who burn it. 

First floor hallway. 

Another view of the main mural. 

Service counter selling ghost money. 

Alleyway on the side of the temple.

I think before this road was here, the temple stretched all the way to the river. Now there are some decorations next to the retention wall. 

View of the back of the temple. 

View of the front of the temple. 

A lady rests in front of the temple. 

Making our way to the entrance of Raohe Street Night Market. 

​Raohe Street Night Market 饒河街夜市

Raohe Street Night Market is a bustling night market in Eastern Taipei and one of the most popular in the city. One could argue that Roahe Street is the best night market in Taipei. With a large assortment of great food and snacks, along with the usual night market cheap clothes and everyday items, along with close proximity to public transport, Raohe Street is a must-see destination when you come to Taipei...(read more
​​
You can book a 2-hr Raohe Night Market Walking Private Tour with a Tour Guide, or Taipei at Night: Din Tai Fung Dinner & Raohe Street Night Market Guided Tour on TripAdvisor here. 

Check out our full guide to Raohe Street Night Market here.
​
Check out our full guide to Nangang here. 

Check out our Taipei Night Market guide here.
Check out our Taipei Museum Guide here. 

Also be sure to check out our guide to Taipei here. 
You can also check out our full travel guide to Taiwan here. 

Share