Donggang Donglong Temple
Main Deities
About
Before you even set foot inside Donglong Temple in Donggang, Pingtung, the blazing 'Golden Archway' out front stops you in your tracks — built at a cost of over a hundred million New Taiwan dollars and dazzling in the sunlight. This celebrated Wangye temple of southern Taiwan is dedicated to Lord Wen (Wenfu Qiansui) and serves as the spiritual heart of Donggang. What truly made it famous across the nation, though, is the triennial 'Donggang Welcoming the Royal Lords Peace Festival' — the burning of the King Boat — now a designated National Important Folk Cultural Asset, a vast and mysterious event that draws tens of thousands from home and abroad each time. The temple is also known for its 'Ji Gai' ritual, a ceremonial spanking believed to turn one's luck and drive away misfortune.
History
In the Qianlong era — around the 1770s — the fishermen of Donggang pooled their money to build this temple to Lord Wen. What all Taiwan remembers it for, though, is the 'Welcoming the Royal Lords Peace Festival' held once every three years. Over eight days, the rite runs from 'Fetching the Water,' when the touring Royal Lord is welcomed ashore, to the final night's 'Sending Off the Kings,' when the magnificent King Boat is set ablaze to carry the Lord back to Heaven — every stage bound by strict ancient ceremony. The boat itself is built by local craftsmen using traditional techniques, reaching over ten meters in length, its beams carved and painted with breathtaking care. On the night of the sending-off, tens of thousands gather along the shore to watch the flames devour the vessel inch by inch — a sight both magnificent and profoundly moving. The Donggang Welcoming of the Royal Lords is today a National Important Folk Custom.
Donggang Donglong Temple
Donggang Township, Pingtung County
Visitor Info
Address
No. 21-1, Donglong St, Donggang Township, Pingtung County
Region
Donggang Township, Pingtung County