Dong Yue Temple,Beijing, China.

Dong Yue Temple,Beijing.

Originally built in the 13th and 14th centuries with financial help from the Emperor Yuan Wenzong, Dong Yue was an important Imperial temple from the Ming Dynasty on, and thrived under patronage from the throne. It fell into disrepair after the last emperor was toppled in 1911.

Copyright © 2001-2006 天野工作室 all Rights Reserved 版权所有　※

http://www.skyeh.com/desktop/desktop5.htm

Da Cheng Dian, of the Confucius Temple, Beijing, China

Hall of Great Completion (Da cheng dian), of the Confucius Temple in Beijing, situated north east of the Forbidden City.

The Confucius temple in Bejing was first built in 1302, and was periodically repaired and rebuilt during the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties.

From the website of Thomas A. Wilson, Professor of East Asian History at Hamilton.

http://academics.hamilton.edu/asian_studies/home/TempleCulture.html

Main Hall of Great Completion of the Confucius Temple in Qufu, China

The statues of Kongzi were removed from official temples, but they remained in the temples operated by Kongzi's family descendants, such as this statue of Kongzi in the Main Hall of Great Completion of the Confucius Temple in Qufu.

From the website of Thomas A. Wilson, professor of East Asian History at Hamilton.


http://academics.hamilton.edu/asian_studies/home/TempleCulture.html

Confucius' father Shuliang He, Qu Fu, China

Pictured here is the spirit statue of Shuliang He.

Evidence suggests that as early as the eleventh century, Confucius temples had rooms to pay sacrifices to Confucius' father Shuliang He, and in 1048, a hall was built for this purpose.

From the website of
Thomas A. Wilson
Professor East Asian History at Hamilton

http://academics.hamilton.edu/asian_studies/home/TempleCulture.html

Guanyu Temple in Shanxi, China

Guanyu temple in Shanxi.

From the blog of adventurer, Chris Pitts.

http://lonelyplanet.mytripjournal.com/GIW/WebObjects/MyTripJournal.woa/1/wo/BsTiqytzds1rNQDCwDmFSg/0.3.0.21.7.0.6.8.0

Taoist Temple, Kaoshiung, Taiwan

Wu Li Pagoda, Lotus Lake in Kaoshiung, Taiwan.

From the amazing Looking Around

2002 - 2004 © Looking Around

http://lookingaround.free.fr/Taiwan/Kaoshiung/welcome.html

Confucius Temple, Kaoshiung, Taiwan

Confucius Temple, Kaoshiung, Taiwan.

From Looking Around.

2002 - 2004 © Looking Around

http://lookingaround.free.fr/Taiwan/Kaoshiung/welcome.html

Xuan Wu

Lotus Lake in Kaoshiung, Taiwan.

From Looking Around

2002 - 2004 © Looking Around

http://lookingaround.free.fr/Taiwan/Kaoshiung/welcome.html

Taoist Temple, Beverly Hills, Cebu City, Phillipines

Taoist architectural decoration reflects Taoist pursuit of luck and fulfillment, long lifespan, and eclosion into the fairyland. Taoist architectural motifs are all meaningful. Celestial bodies mean brightness shining everywhere while landscape and rocks immortality. Folding fan, fish, narcissus, bat and deer are used to imply beneficence, wealth, celestial being, fortune and official position, while pine and cypress stand for affection, tortoise for longevity, crane for man of honor. There are many other symbols very traditional and Taoist decorations root deep in Chinese folk residential houses.

Taken in Taoist Temple, Beverly Hills, Cebu City, Cebu, Philippines

From the blog of: [2]rokbot[2]
Copyright © 2006 Yahoo! Inc. All rights reserved.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/2rokbotoy/100300269/in/set-72057594063965188/

Tien-Kung Miao: Pantheon of Universal Deities, Tainan, Taiwan

Deities like heaven, earth, mountains, rivers and sea, are ubiquitous in Taiwanese folk religion. There are many famous temples that worship deities of this character in Tainan.

Tien-Kung Miao, also known as Tien-Tan, is listed as Grade III Historical landmark. Build in 1854; the temple worships Yu-Huang Ta-Ti (Great jade Emperor) who is accompanied by gods and goddesses from Chinese pantheon.

http://www.premier.com.tw/Touring/UniversalDeities.htm

Ta Kuan-Ti Miao, Tainan, Taiwan

One of the best example of the personage deified is Kuan-Ti, the Kuan Emperor, called Kuan-Kung among folks.

Built during 1647-1683, Ssu-Tien Wu Miao was also called Ta Kuan-Ti Miao. It has took several renovation and held official sacrificial rites twice a year since 1727.

http://www.premier.com.tw/Touring/MartialTemple.htm

Tainan Fu Cheng-Huang Miao, Tainan, Taiwan

Cheng-Huang Miao (City God Temple) was built in every administrative center in traditional Chinese society. Cheng-Huang, city god of justice, is the final judge of each soul of those who die within his parish. People worship the deity for good account. For believing the power of Cheng-Huang, every new local magistrate must worship him before inauguration.

http://www.premier.com.tw/Touring/CityGodTemples.htm

Pei Chi Temple, Taiwan

The Pei Chi Temple in Suokang Village, the main rival of the Shang Ti Temple, also prides itself on its large gold tortoises.

Tainan's main temple for the Supreme emperor of the Dark Heavens is Pei-Chi Tien (Temple of the North Pole) build in 1665 and listed as Grade II historical landmark. The site of the temple is the highest point in Tainan called Chiu-Lin (Eagle Hill)

http://www.taipei.org/even/lantern/turtles.html

Copyright©
2002 Information Division, TECO-NY

Inside Kai-Chi Ling Yu Kung, Tainan, Taiwan

Built in 1671 and listed Grade III historical landmark, Kai-Chi Ling Yu Kung (Founding Temple of Spirituality and Protection) is another temple for the supreme Emperor of the Dark Heavens with great status and wooden tablets.

http://www.premier.com.tw/Touring/EmperorOfDarkHeaven.htm

Chuan Tai Shou Hsueh, Tainan, Taiwan

Confucian Temple, Taiwan.

The son of Koxinga, Chen Yung-Hua built the temple in 1665 and named it Hsien-Shih Sheng-Miao (Holy Temple of the great teacher) with a Kuo-Hsueh (National School) on the premises.

The spirit table of Confucian is in the central altar with twelve of his disciples at separate tables. The most famous wooden tablet hung along the roof is "Wan Shih Biao (greatest Teacher for all ages) written by Kang-His Emperor.

http://www.premier.com.tw/Touring/ConfucianTemple.htm

Shoutien Temple, Taiwan

Shoutien Temple Located at the platform at the southern end of Bagua Mountain, the palace can
overlook as far as the Western Plateau and Taiwan Strait.

Known as Shang-ti Kung (Supreme Emperor) by people in Taiwan, Hsuan-Tien Shang-Ti (Supreme Emperor of the dark Heavens), is also named Chen-Wu Ta-Ti (Great Emperor of True Martial) and Pei-Chi Ta-Ti (Great Emperor of the north Pole). He is the deity of children, butchers and sailors. When Koxinga Arrived Tainan in 1661 morphology of the coast look like a snake and a tortoise and ordered temples to be built as Hsuan-Tien Shang Ti stepped on a snake and a tortoise.

http://travel.nantou.gov.tw/english/e_attactions2_1_1.asp?Id=72&view=7&view_num=Temple/Heritage#

©2002 copyright by Nantou County Government No.660, Jhongsing Rd., Nantou City, Nantou County 540, Taiwan (R.O.C.)

Shoutien Temple, Taiwan

Shoutien Temple.

Shoutian Palace was established in the 2nd year of Emperor Chienlung’s Regime
in Ching Dynasty (in 1737). It worships the Hsuantian God of the North Pole, which
is the center of Taoist religion in Taiwan and whose worshippers are widely spread
over Taiwan.

049-2581208, 118 Songshan Street, Mingchien Village, Nantou County.

©2002 copyright by Nantou County Government No.660, Jhongsing Rd., Nantou City, Nantou County 540, Taiwan (R.O.C.)

http://travel.nantou.gov.tw/english/e_attactions2_1_1.asp?Id=72&view=7&view_num=Temple/Heritage#

Husan Tien Emperor Ritual at Minchien, Taiwan

Husan Tien Emperor Ritual at Minchien.

Emperor Husan Tien is also called Shangti Kung, Shangti Yeh, Tiyeh Kung, etc. Among the gods worshipped in Taiwan, Emperor Hsuan Tien has the most aliases. In addition, he is the Taoist god with a very high statue, being the incarnation of the Polaris. As the north is regarded as Hsuanwu, he is called Hsuanwu Taiti, Chengwu Taiti, Hsuan Tien Shangti (Emperor) of the North Pole, Emperor of the North Pole, etc.

Normally, he is portrayed as wearing a black gown, with loose hair. Holding a Seven North Pole Star Sword in his right hand and grasping the name chop with the middle finger of his left hand, he does not wear any shoes. However, he is always stepping on a snake with his right foot and a tortoise on his right foot.

http://edu.ocac.gov.tw/local/web/Eng/Content.aspx?Para=82&Class=2

Copyright (c) 2005 OCAC all rights reserved

Hsuan-tien Shang-ti

The Supreme Lord of the Dark heavens, Hsuan-tien Shang-ti, is known by a number of unique titles within Chinese communities. he is possibly best known to foreigners and laymen as the Northern Emperor, Pei Ti (Cantonese Pak Tai) and even better as the True God of Martiality, Chen Wu.

Over recent centuries, he has become more a general protective God to the laymmen peaple whereas originally he was one of the spirits of great antiquity who ruled one quarter of the universe as the Dark Warrior, Hsuan Wu. This was a term used for the nothern sector of the twenty-eight lunar mansions. It was associated first with the tortoise, then with the tortoise and Snake. The spirit of Hsuan-Wu became an enshrined deity during the Sung times.

Over recent centuries, he has become more a general protective God to the laymmen peaple whereas originally he was one of the spirits of great antiquity who ruled one quarter of the universe as the Dark Warrior, Hsuan Wu. This was a term used for the nothern sector of the twenty-eight lunar mansions. It was associated first with the tortoise, then with the tortoise and Snake. The spirit of Hsuan-Wu became an enshrined deity during the Sung times.

http://mywebpage.netscape.com/fsmtkfa/XuanWu.html

Joss House in Evanston, Wyoming

A Joss House in Evanston, Wyoming

The Chinese temple that stood in Evanston's Chinatown from 1874 until 1922.

The Chinese population flourished from the late 1870's to the early 1920's. In 1922 the Joss House mysteriously burned to the ground. While some of the Chinese remained in Evanston, many chose to relocate to follow the mining and railroad booms throughout the west.


http://ahc.uwyo.edu/features/photos/2003.htm

Burning Ghost Money

People Burning Ghost Money.

A delightful way to spend a Sunday afternoon in Taipei is to climb Green Mountain, one of the rolling hills around the city, and visit Pishan Temple. It takes about one hour to hike up to the temple, and the view is breathtaking. So is the temple.

I was lucky in that today is the Taiwanese National Holiday called Tomb Sweep Day, when people visit and clean the graves of their ancestors.

On Tomb Sweep Day, they also burn ghost money, which their departed ancestors can use in the after-life.

From the blog of ilombardo:
http://www.travelpod.com/traveler/ilombardo.html

http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ilombardo/taiwan-2004/1081054800/tpod.html

Copyright © 1997 - 2006 TravelPod Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

Golden Urn for Burning Ghost Money

Golden Urn for Burning Ghost Money
Taipei, Taiwan

Uploaded by: Ilombardo

http://www.travelpod.com/cgi-bin/guest.pl?tweb_tripID=taiwan-2004&tweb_UID=ilombardo&tweb_entryID=1083597960&tweb_guest_password=&tweb_PID=tpod&SHOW_ALL_THUMBS=YES

Copyright © 1997 - 2006 TravelPod Corporation.

Inside Pishan Temple

View Inside Pishan Temple
Taipei, Taiwan


Uploaded by: Ilombardo

Ilombardohttp://images.travelpod.com/users/ilombardo/taiwan-2004.1083597960.11inside_pishan.jpg

Copyright © 1997 - 2006 TravelPod Corporation.

Pishan Temple, Taipei, Taiwan

Pishan Temple Perched High A Top Green Mountain

Here is Pishan Temple, high on its mountain perch. You can see that it is quite a hike to get up there.

Photo Uploaded by: Ilombardo

Copyright © 1997 - 2006 TravelPod Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

Bing Kung Tong Building

The Bing Kung Tong Building was the site for many celebrations such as this in its heyday. It was built after the Main Street fire of 1926. The Bing Kung Tong served many functions to the Chinese community. The first floor was a cultural language school for the children as well as a Chinese community hall. The second floor was a temple for Chinese men only and a room for the visiting Bing Kung Tong Association officers.

http://www.isletonhistory.org/news.htm

All images ©2005 IBAHS. All rights reserved.

Bing King Tong Building, Isleton, California

In Isleton, in the Sacramento River Delta, resting on a strong foundation there stands a building—a beacon leaning over the river. Called the Bing Kong Tong, it is an edifice that stands as a memorial to the prominent presence of the early Chinese.

Tongs were secret societies with initiation rites, passwords, oaths of allegiance, religious rituals and designated styles of clothing. They maintained an educated and informed membership. All news, including national, Chinese and local was carefully monitored. English classes were given.

In Isleton the Bing King Tong arose and was kindly referred to as the "Chinese Masons." It was strong also in Sacramento, San Francisco and Los Angeles. In its heyday, the Bing King was headed by Wong Du King also known as Kai Yee or "Godfather."

http://www.californiahistorian.com/articles/tong-building-restoration.html

2003 CONFERENCE of California Historical Societies; University of the Pacific; Stockton, CA 95211.

Confucius Temple, Qufu

Apricot Platform in the Confucius Temple.

In the center of the courtyard in front of Dacheng Hall stands the "Apricot Platform", which commemorates Confucius teaching his students under an apricot tree.

Photograph of the Apricot Platform in the central courtyard of the Confucius Temple in Qufu, Shandong Province, China. Picture taken on April 21, 2005 by Rolf Müller.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qufu

Temple of Confucius (Kong Miao)

Historical plan of the Temple of Confucius (1912).

In 205 BC, Emperor Gao of the Han Dynasty was the first emperor to offer sacrifices to the memory of Confucius in Qufu.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qufu

Historical plan of the Temple of Confucius at Qufu, 1912. From "Madrolle's Guide Books: Northern China, The Valley of the Blue River, Korea." Hachette & Company, 1912. Image from the Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection, Courtesy of the University of Texas Libraries, The University of Texas at Austin.

Fu Xi Temple, Tianshui

The divining patterns on the roof, Fuxi Temple,Tianshui.

Copyright© 1998-2006 TravelChinaGuide.com, All rights reserved.

http://www.travelchinaguide.com/picture/gansu/tianshui/fu_xi_temple/index.htm

Tianshui Fu Xi Temple

Tianshui Fuxi Temple is the only such temple with the statue of Fuxi. Fuxi, one of the three emperors in ancient times, was regarded the ancestor of the Chinese.

This Temple was originally set up in the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368)

Copyright© 1998-2006 TravelChinaGuide.com.

http://www.travelchinaguide.com/picture/gansu/tianshui/fu_xi_temple/index.htm

Confucian Temple, Tianjin

Confucian Temple, Tianjin China.

Copyright © China Internet Information Center. All Rights Reserved

http://www.china.org.cn/features/photos/tianjin/tjview5.htm

Tainhou Palace in Tianjin

Tianhou Palace in Tianjin.

The Tianhou Palace, a famous Taoist temple in Tianjin City, was built to fete Goddess Tianhou (the queen of heaven).

The Tianhou Palace in Tianjin was first constructed in 1326 during the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368).

The main function of the Tianhou Palace is to pray for navigation safety.

Copyright © 2003 Ministry of Culture, P.R.China. All rights reserved

http://www.chinaculture.org/gb/en_aboutchina/2003-09/24/content_24354.htm

Li Hongzhang Temple in Tianjin

The Li Hongzhang Temple in Tianjin in a photograph dated 1909.

Copyright 2004
Wason Collection on East Asia
and Division of Rare & Manuscript Collections
Carl A. Kroch Library, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853 http://wason.library.cornell.edu/Tianjin/noteworthy.html

Man Mo Temple

Man Mo Temple on Hollywood Road, Hong Kong, built in 1847, is dedicated to the Gods of Literature and War.

http://www.askasia.org/teachers/images/image.php?no=129

Copyright Holder Janet Lehr Inc.

Copyright 2005. Author: John Thomson (Scottish, 1837-1921).

The Golden Hall at the top of Heavenly Pillar Peak

The Golden Hall at the top of Tianzhu Peak weighs more than 100 tons. This gold-plated bronze hall has withstood 500 years of rain and wind, thunder and lightning.

Mt. Wudang has 72 peaks enshrouded by clouds and mist the year round. Tianzhu (Heavenly Pillar) Peak is the highest and the others bend toward it, creating a spectacular sight. Legend has it that, Chenwu, the god of the northern lunar mansions, was born on Mt. Wudang and practiced austerities, attained immortality, and went up to heaven there. Historically, the famous Taoist shrine on Mt. Wudang has attracted many people.

From: Taoist Buildings on Mount Wudang
http://www.chinapage.com/main2.html

The god Chenwu

The statue of the god Chenwu in the Golden Hall.

From: Taoist Buildings on Mount Wudang

http://www.chinapage.com/main2.html

Xuanyue Gate, the entrance to Mt. Wudang

An exquisitely carved stone arch at Xuanyue Gate, 20 meters tall and 13 meters wide, at the entrance to Mt. Wudang. The sacred stone stairway up to the summit starts here.

From: Taoist Buildings on Mount Wudang
http://www.chinapage.com/main2.html

The Zixiao Hall

The Zixiao Hall, the main hall of the Zixiao Temple, is one of the best-preserved buildings on Mt. Wudang.

From Taoist Buildings on Mount Wudang
http://www.chinapage.com/main2.html

The symbol of the god Chenwu

The turtle-and-snake sculpture, the symbol of the god Chenwu.

From:

Taoist Buildings on Mount Wudang

http://www.chinapage.com/main2.html