Religious Centers

Xiahai City God Temple:Where the Eastern God of Love Grants Wishes

• Source: Department of Information Technology, Taipei City Government
• Date: 2008-7-14

In legend, Qixi or Chinese Valentine’s Day is the one day of the year when the young Cowherd and Weaver Girl can be together.

This is also the day when the God of Love, the Old Man Under the Moon, is at his most powerful. Taiwan folk believe it is fate that brings lovers together, and naturally flock to the Old Man on Valentine’s Day to beseech him to grant a happy fate. Today in Taipei, the Old Man at the Xiahai City God Temple is most renowned and sought out, even bringing overseas travelers to the hopeful goings-on. Xiahai is one of the few local temples to have on-site information in English and Japanese to guide the wondering foreign guests.

Reportedly, last year Chinese Valentine's Day overlapped with the Japanese Yulanpen Festival, and a group of young Japanese ladies on vacation made a special visit to the Old Man Under the Moon. The Xiahai City God temple sits in the Datong District along Dihua Street, an important heritage area. Though it is small as “big” temples go, just 46 pings (1 ping equals 36 sq. ft.), it has been the core of the local people's universe faith since the area was founded in the 1860s, and is one of Taipei’s most important places of worship. Besides being the home to the City God, resident there are over 600 deity icons of all type residing there. But the most renowned, most beloved, and most visited is the Old Man Under the Moon, and thus the site is customarily called the Old Man Temple of the Old Man Under the Moon.

In 1985, the Ministry of the Interior declared the temple an Historical Relic of the Third Grade, and has since used the City God’s wife and the Old Man Under the Moon, both similar in ways to Western gods of love, as the focus for publicity. Each year on Chinese Valentine’s Day, as the scented airs from burning incense sticks becomes especially thick and flourishing, the powers of the Xiahai Old Man to bring love into your life are notably strong, and known far and wide – but if you come to ask his favors you must strictly carry out the traditional rites, or you will have come for nought.

Each year the temple sees over a thousand new brides and grooms returning to pay back the promises earlier made when asking the Old Man to help. This year, why not head down to the temple at Valentine’s and see what the Old Man can do for you if you’re single and looking for a honey? Temple attendees will help you with all the rituals, and you can also take in the many special and always exotic and fascinating events that the temple will be staging.

Process for Requesting Romantic Love

1. The first time one visits the Old Man Under the Moon to ask for a sweetheart match, one must prepare white sugar, lead coins, the red silk thread the Old Man will be asked to pull on to tempt romantic fate, and joss paper. All these gifts can be purchased right at the temple, for about NT$310.
2. After lighting incense sticks, honor Tiangong (Ruler of Heaven), the City God’s wife, and the Old Man in that order. When doing so you must state your full name, address, date of birth (year/month/date), a description of the type of sweetheart match you seek, and what you will do after finding love to redeem the granting of your wish.
3. Next, temple attendees will help you ceremonially burn the joss paper and handle the tribute offerings, and you can eat the sweet foods and soup brought by others as payment redemption for the granting of their own wishes in order to sweeten your mood.
4. Finally, take one of the red silk threads draped over the Old Man’s shoulder, circle the censer before the temple three times, and place the thread on yourself to carry at all times.

The Xiahai City God Temple sternly warns worshipers not to take more than one thread, to avoid what is called the “spoiled peach blossom” or unwanted and troublesome romantic entanglements.

Information

Xiahai City God Temple Tel: (02) 2558-0346 　　　　　　 Address: 61, Sec. 1, Dihua St. Datong District Hours: 6:00 am to 9:00 pm　　　　 Website: stweb.jcjh.tp.edu.tw/shahai/