Tianhou, also known as Mazu, refers to the sea goddess – Lin Mo. She is the belief in the sout[...]
Tianhou, also known as Mazu, refers to the sea goddess – Lin Mo. She is the belief in the southern Fujian region. Most people living by the sea believe in Tianhou, so many people come to pay homage.
Quanzhou Tianhou Palace was first built in the second year of Qingyuan (1196 AD). It is an earlier and relatively large Mazu temple existing along the southeast coast of China. It is also an important scenic spot in Quanzhou. The incense here is very prosperous.
The mountain gate of Tianhou Palace is very beautiful. On both sides of the mountain gate are the East and West Que buildings. After entering, you will find that the main hall of Tianhou, despite experiencing vicissitudes, still has the wooden structures of the Ming and Qing dynasties well-preserved to this day. The main hall is spectacular, and the reliefs are also very beautiful. The carved decorations on the eaves are really magnificent.
There were originally twenty-four departments of matching gods placed in the east and west corridors. Now they have been changed into exhibition rooms of the Museum of the History of Fujian-Taiwan Relations. The museum houses a large number of precious historical and folk cultural relics and has held exhibitions such as the “Fujian-Taiwan Folk Art Exhibition”, the “Quanzhou Ancient and Modern Calligraphy Exhibition”, and the “Fujian-Taiwan Folk Customs Photography Exhibition”.
There are two columns with very unique shapes in front of the back hall. Those two inner columns have a history. They were originally the stone columns of a Hindu temple in the Yuan Dynasty. There is a Tutugong at the entrance, with a canopy inscribed with “Lord of Good Fortune”. Students from nearby schools come here very frequently to pray for academic success.
If you come here and believe in it, you may as well pay homage to Queen Tianhou. If you don’t have the corresponding belief, you may as well visit as a tourist, admire the buildings and take pictures.
Opening hours: Open from 07:00 to 18:00 throughout the year. The specific business status is subject to the opening situation on the day.
