Kaohsiung Hamasen Daitian Temple

"Hamasen" is the old name for the southern part of Gushan District in Kaohsiung City today. This area was originally part of the sea. During the Japanese colonial period, the Japanese authorities used dredged soil and rocks from the harbor's navigation channels to reclaim land, forming new territory. Because this new land had two coastal railways leading to commercial ports, fishing ports, and fish markets, it was called "Hamasen" (濱線) in Japanese, and local residents referred to it as "Hamasen" (哈瑪星, Ha-ma-sing) in Taiwanese. Hamasen was located at the starting point of Kaohsiung Port's modernization and the railway's terminus, and it was once the birthplace of Kaohsiung's political and economic center, flourishing for a time. Hamasen Daitian Temple was built in 1951. The main deity worshipped in the hall is the Five Royal Lords (五府千歲), whose incense was branched from Nankunshen Daitian Temple. Secondary deities worshipped include Lord Chi (池府千歲), Qingshui Zushi (清水祖師), and Guanyin, among others. A magnificent archway stands in front of the temple. The temple's architecture adopts the Southern Chinese temple style, making it solemn and splendid. On the double-eaved hip-and-gable roof, the Koji pottery decorations, whether depicting figures riding beasts, towers, or flowers and birds, are all exquisitely and delicately carved. Inside the hall, painted carvings depict traditional folk stories such as the gathering at the Jade Pond, the Eighteen Arhats, and the Assembly of Ten Thousand Immortals, with ceramic figures in various forms, appearing lifelike. The door gods and deity sculptures painted inside the Sanchuan Hall (front hall) are all works by the renowned artist Pan Li-shui (潘麗水), and these dignified and opulent divine statues are considered rare artistic treasures. Daitian Temple is the spiritual center and gathering place for Hamasen residents. The square's diverse array of snacks attracts numerous pilgrims, making it a folk attraction that best showcases Kaohsiung's local culture and customs.