The Cide Temple on Dianziding Street,[1] also known as the Dianziding, Liujia, Mazu, or Tianhou Temple, is a temple northwest of Lotus Lake in Zuoying District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. In Chinese, it is commonly distinguished by its location.[1]

Cide Palace
Interior of the Cide Temple
Cide Temple
Traditional Chinese
Literal meaningPalace of Kindness & Virtue on Dianziding Street
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinDiànzǐdǐng Cídé Gōng
Other names
Liujia Temple
Traditional Chinese
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinLiùjiǎ Miào
Dianziding Street Temple
Traditional Chinese
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinDiànzǐdǐng Miào
Mazu Temple
Traditional Chinese媽祖
Literal meaningTemple of the Mother
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinMāzǔ Miào
Tianhou Temple
Traditional Chinese天后
Literal meaningPalace of the Queen of Heaven
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinTiānhòu Gōng
Wade–GilesT'ien-hou Kung

History

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The temple was originally built as an unnamed temple to the Chinese earth god Tudigong. In 1821, the temple was renamed the Palace of Kindness and Virtue[1] and rededicated to both Tudigong and Mazu, the deified form of Lin Moniang from medieval Fujian who is worshipped as the Goddess of Sea and also honoured as the Queen of Heaven. In 1941, amid the Second World War, the Japanese occupation government converted to an agriculture office and later a regimental branch office.[1] The Japanese ordered the demolition of the palace,[citation needed] but it was rebuilt from 1973 to 1976.

Services

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On Mazu's birthday according to the Chinese lunar calendar, the temple hosts a Taiwanese opera group who performs on a stage in front of the temple's main hall.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d "店仔頂慈德宮", Cultural Resources Geographic Information System, Taipei: Center for the GIS, 2016. (in Chinese)

22°41′04.6″N 120°17′27.4″E / 22.684611°N 120.290944°E / 22.684611; 120.290944