Xingtian Temple 行天宮

8/20/2024

Xingtian Temple (行天宮) is a Taiwanese Folk Religion temple dedicated to the deity Guan Di. With millions of visitors a year, it is one of the most popular religious centers in Taipei, sitting right next to Xingtiangong MRT Station. In 2014 it also became the first temple to ban incense to improve air pollution. It is definitely worth a visit on your next trip to Taipei.

Historical Background:
Xingtian Temple was constructed in 1967 and completed in 1968, but its roots started in 1943, when Daoist Priest Master Kong Zhenzi and his fellow disciples worshipped established "Xingtian Temple" on Dihua Street in Taipei, with Guan Di as the primary deity. Guan Di (關帝), also known as Lord Guan, Emporer Guan, Guan Yu, or Guan Gong, is a prominent figure in Chinese history and mythology. He was a general serving under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Eastern Han dynasty and the Three Kingdoms period of China. Over time, Guan Yu became deified and is worshipped as a god of war, loyalty, righteousness, and justice, and is the patron saint of businessmen, soldiers, and policemen. Before Xingtian Temple, there was once an official worship Taipei Guan Di Temple (Taipei Prefecture Martial Temple) during the Qing Dynasty within Taipei City, which was demolished during the Japanese colonial period due to urban planning.
Later, a Daoist Master named Xuan Kong became converted after his father and many others contracted Malaria in the coal mines of Sanxia. Master Kongzhenzi created a small temple next to the coal mine, and soon everyone was cured, which helped to spread the fame of Xingtian Temple.
In 1949, Master Xuan Kong, using money he had made from coal mining, purchased a small private faith-based Luantan temple and an attached Earth God temple at Jiutai Street (now the intersection of Linsen North Road and Minquan East Road) in Taipei City. This was where the original Taipei Xingtian Temple was created, located at the current site of Taipei Municipal Xinxing Junior High School.
He also built two other temples in Beitou and Sanxia. The new temple built in the center of Taipei City was called the Main Temple, with the other two known as branches.
In 1958, Daoist Master Kong Zhenzi passed away before the main temple could be completed. Master Xuan Kong was then elected as the second leader of Xingtian Temple.
In the early 1960s, Master Xuan Kong planned to expand the Taipei Xingtian Temple. However, the land was designated for a national middle school (now Taipei Municipal Xinxing Junior High School). After a negotiation, the Taipei City Government exchanged the land with public wetlands. Master Xuan Kong then purchased land at the northeast corner of Minquan East Road and Songjiang Road and invited the experienced temple builder Liao Shicheng to design and construct the temple, successfully completing Xingtian Temple Taipei Main Hall in 1968.

Price:
Free

Hours:
7 AM to 5 PM

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 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 yellow line to Xingtian Temple Station. The temple is literally right on top of the MRT station. You can also book an MRT travel pass on Klook here.
By Car:
If you travel there by car, there is very limited paid parking nearby. 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 limited paid scooter parking nearby. 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:

We have visited Xingtian Temple twice, but I have passed it hundreds of times on the way to and from work and to my in-law's house. It is always very busy with people, and I personally would say it is the busiest temple in Taiwan. I think part of its popularity (besides being near the yellow line MRT connecting Sanchong and Luzhou to Taipei) is that it has good word of mouth with many people seeing positive effects in their lives after visiting this temple.

The only way for me to get a good wide shot of the temple is across the busy Minquan East Road.
The temple's architecture is unique, blending traditional and modern design, attracting numerous believers and tourists.

This is one of the busiest roads in Taipei, and a main thoroughfare from Taipei City to the more residential districts of Sanchong and Luzhou.

There are tons of scooters here, and you can even see a scooter waterfall on Taipei Bridge.

There are also tons of pedestrians crossing the street all the time to visit the temple.

Nearby there are also quite a few office buildings and shopping areas.

Be careful when crossing the street.

The main gate of Xingtian Temple.

Side view of the front hall of the temple. The architecture of Xingtian Temple is a blend of traditional and modern Taiwanese styles showing both grandeur and beauty. The temple houses multiple halls, each dedicated to different deities.

View of the main gates painted red with gold bolts. Also there are both dragon and phenix statues on the rooftop.
The temple also has several precious historical inscriptions that record the construction process and historical changes of the temple written in Chinese in the stone.

Inside, visitors are encouraged to remain quiet. Believers visiting the temple are required to follow specific guidelines, such as washing hands and purifying themselves before entering, and maintaining silence within the halls to show respect for the deities.

People can read Taoist and Buddhist scripture here.
Xingtian Temple regularly hosts various cultural activities, such as calligraphy exhibitions and traditional music concerts, aiming to promote traditional Chinese culture and attract more people to engage and participate.

View inside the main shrine. The Main Hall is the central part of Xingtian Temple, where Guan Di is worshipped. Believers pray here for the deity's blessing on their homes, health, and career success.

Believers pray in the temple for everything to go smoothly, especially during critical moments such as job searching, promotions, or business openings. The temple offers special blessing ceremonies to help believers smoothly navigate important milestones in life.

There are usually tons of people here, especially everyday workers.
The deity statues worshipped in Xingtian Temple are exquisite wooden sculptures, crafted with meticulous detail, which are not only symbols of religious belief but also treasures of art.

On the incense table of the main altar, there is a traditional table called "八斗几 Bā dǒu jǐ." This type of table was used by ancient scholars to place the four treasures of the study (brush, ink, paper, and inkstone), symbolizing culture, wisdom, and knowledge. The Bā dǒu jǐ in Xingtian Temple represents the wisdom and protection of the deity.