One of Kaohsiung's few temples that made the national protected relics list is also its oldest Mazu temple. Cijin Tianhou Temple was constructed in 1673 and restored in the 1920s. There's a sense of graceful antiquity in its interiors, particularly in the relief sculptures, mosaics and decorative paintings by master of folk art, Chen Yu-feng (1900–64), which time and smoke have made hauntingly beautiful. The temple also has fanciful Fujian-style swallowtail eaves and two exquisite stone lions guarding its door.
Shutterstock / Richie Chan
Cijin Tianhou Temple
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