Qijin Tianhou Temple

The Qijin Tianhou Temple, situated in the bustling Qijin district of Kaohsiung City, has been dedicated to Mazu, the Goddess of the Sea, for over 300 years. Historical records indicate that in 1673, a fisherman from Fujian named Xu Ah-hua drifted to Qijin after a hurricane and settled there. He later attracted six households of fellow villagers and brought a branch (or sub-spirit) of Mazu from Meizhou to Taiwan. This established it as Taiwan's first Mazu Temple and Kaohsiung's oldest temple. The Mazu Temple has undergone several renovations since then. The current Tianhou Temple is based on the structure rebuilt in 1926.