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> A Brief History of Taipei Tianhou Temple, Ximending
> Tainan First, Lugang Second, and Mankah the Third as Top Three Ports in the 18 Century Taiwan
> A Predestined Relationship between Tamsui Basin and Mazu
> Qing Dynasty-the Xinxing Temple in Mankah
> Japanese Colonization Period-Hongfa Temple of the Holy Word Sect
> From Hongfa Temple to Taipei Tianhou Temple
 
 
 Qing Dynasty-the Xinxing Temple in Mankah 
 
  In 1736, the number of Han people increased who moved inthe Taipei Basin to reclaim. In 1738, people from the Sanyi( Jingjiang, Nanan and Huian ) raised funds to build the LungshanTemple in Mankah, and the construction was completed two years later. Consecutively, the Old Street and XinDian Street ( nowSection 1, XiYuan Road ) to the north of the Lungshan Templewere developed. Yet, in 1746, at the intersection of HanZi Street( later transliterated into Mandarin as HuanCi Street, now Section 2, GueiYang Street), which was developed earlier than the OldStreet, Xinxing Temple was built, and became the center of urbandevelopment in the area that expanded toward the east and thenorth. In 1788, Qingsuiyen Zushih Temple was also built in the neighborhood whereas Xinxing Temple was destroyed in a fire in 1813. After its reconstruction in 1825, these three temples were referred to as〝Three Great Temples in Mankah.〞

  According to literature records,〝Tianhou Temple...the one at Mankah Pier by Tamsui River.... was built in Qianlong 11th Year.. ...〞and〝Tianhou Temple.... The one on Mankah Street where the old pier was located was built in Qianlong 11th Year.....〞Hence, it is proved that the Mankah Xinxing Temple was built in 1746. It was named Tianhou Temple for worshipping tianshang shengmu ( literally meaning : Holy Mother in Heaven ).

  Opinions regarding the construction process of the temple have been widely divided. According to an oral history from previous temple authorities,〝About 200 years ago, a trade ship arrived at Mankah. Upon arrival, the ship owner respectfully moved the Mazu statue consecrated on the ship onshore for worshipping. When the owner was done with the business part of his visit and wanted to bring the deity onto the ship and sail back home, everything went wrong. So, from his best guessing, he believed that it was Mazu's will to stay onshore. Therefore, he moved the deity with all due respect back onshore and left Taiwan as he planned. When this incident was known to shipping business runners in Mankah, they raised funds to build a temple at the corner of HanZi Street in Xinxing District to worship Mazu.

  This is the origin of Xinxing Temple. 〞Meanwhile, local seniors indicated that since the urban development of Taipei originated from Sinzhuang, the Mankah area at that time was still a newly developed area ( Xinxing in Mandarin ). That was the reason why people named it〝Xinxing Temple.〞Opinions are also divided as for the origin of the deity consecrated in the Xinxing Temple: one being that the deity was a double of the Mazu consecrated in the Tianhou Temple in Sinjuang; another being that it was picked up from a river. Which one is true? The absence of relevant records makes it impossible to verify the truth today, but one thing is for sure - the candles and incense in the Xinxing Temple have continued to burn feverishly ever since for the efficacy of Mazu.

  According to the construction drawing of Xinxing Temple in the Taiwan Prefecture Reconstruction Chronicles, the temple used to be spacious and magnificent, with balconies and platforms for performances in the yard. At the center was the main hall for consecrating the deity, while the two-doored main building behind was for worshipping minor gods and goddesses. To the right, there was the three-doored guanting ( main sitting room) surrounded by walls. In addition, according to the survey reports completed during the Japanese Colonization, the Xinxing Temple located in Mankah District at that time dominated an area of about 160 pings of land (an area measure equal to 3.3057 square meter or 36 square feet), including the area of temple buildings of about 127 pings and auxiliary property about 40 pings, indicating that the Temple was well-established in the Qing Dynasty.

  The temple was destroyed in a fire in 1813. After it was reconstructed in 1825, the temple, the Longshan Temple and Qingsuiyen Zushih Temple were referred to as〝Three Great Temples in Mankah. 〞In 1895, Taiwan was ceded to Japan. When the Second Sino-Japanese War broke out in 1937, the strategic value of Taiwan became prominent. The Japanese promoted the Kominka ( Japanization ) Movement, set up Japanese-speaking families, and abolished all local temples to consecrate Japanese deities. In 1943, the Japanese demolished the Xinxing Temple for the construction of airraid roadwork, so the believers had no choice but moved the deities and objects for consecration to the rear hall of Lungshan Temple. Under the circumstances, Xinxing Temple, the spiritual center of the Mankah area, was disintegrated and temporarily became part of history.
 
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