Taiwanfu Cheng Huang (City God) Temple (臺灣府城隍廟)
Built in 1669, Taiwanfu Cheng Huang (City God) Temple (臺灣府城隍廟) is Taiwan’s oldest Taoist temple dedicated to Cheng Huang (City God). It is designated as a historical site. It is also a well-known example of a Taiwanese temple dedicated to Cheng Huang (City God). In the main hall of the temple is a large abacus, which was given to the temple as a gift by believer Chen Jiangshan (陳江山) in 1937. The abacus is a metaphor for the belief that the Cheng Huang calculates the deeds and misdeeds of the citizen. To the left and right are inscriptions which encourage people to be responsible for their actions since the gods are fair.
Cheng Huang (City God) temples are interesting. There are also neighborhood temples which protect people living in the area. There is one by my house and after my scooter accident I started visiting to say thank you and light incense. I was really impressed by Taiwanfu Cheng Huang (City God) Temple (臺灣府城隍廟). I think it’s age and design had something to do with that. The smell of incense and smoke was incredibly strong which has covered a lot of the temple in smoke. There’s an open courtyard in the back with a ghost paper burner and a rest area. Definitely worth checking out.