Manka Qingshui Temple
Main Deities
About
Manka Qingshui Temple is one of the few old temples in Taipei that is only half there. It once had three halls, but the rear hall burned down in a fire in 1940 and was never rebuilt, so the building simply stops, and that absence has become part of its history. Known locally as the Zushi Temple, it enshrines Qingshui Zushi and was built in 1787 with funds raised by migrants from Anxi. It ranks with Manka Longshan Temple and Dalongdong Baoan Temple as one of Taipei's "three great temples," and it is a municipal historic site. Inside it is quieter than you might expect: none of Longshan Temple's crowds, light falling in through the courtyard, dark timber soaking up half the sound. If you want somewhere in Wanhua to sit for a while, this suits better than any of the streets around it.
History
In 1787, the 52nd year of the Qianlong reign, migrants from Anxi chose Weng You-lai as director and raised thirty thousand silver dollars to build the temple. It was completed three years later, in 1790, enshrining a Qingshui Zushi whose spirit had been brought over from the Penglai Qingshui Temple in Anxi. In 1853, the Dingxia Jiao Pin, a clash between Manka's Sanyi community and settlers from Tong'an, left the temple destroyed by fighting, and it was not rebuilt by believers until 1867, the 6th year of the Tongzhi reign. In 1940, the rear hall burned in a fire and has never been rebuilt. That unrepaired gap is now part of the temple's history.
IllustrationManka Qingshui Temple
Wanhua District, Taipei City
Visitor Info
Address
No. 81, Kangding Rd, Wanhua District, Taipei City
Region
Wanhua District, Taipei City
Plan Your Visit
- Hours
- Daily 6:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- When to Go
- Qingshui Zushi's birthday on lunar 1/6 is the most important festival; on ordinary days the temple is quiet, a good time to sit down and look around slowly.
Checked on 2026-10-13 · Sources: Google Maps