Tainan Dongyue Temple

The Tainan Dongyue Temple is a religious site in West Central District, Tainan, Taiwan, made up of three separate halls. Each hall is dedicated to a different deity, including Yuedi, Dizang Wang, and Huang Du, and features curved roofs with colored tiles and carved wooden beams.

Construction began in 1661 when early Han settlers arrived in Taiwan and wanted to establish a place of worship for the deities of the underworld. Several restorations during the 18th and 19th centuries preserved the original forms and materials from the late Ming period.

The temple takes its name from Dongyue, the deity of the eastern peak who oversees souls after death in Chinese belief. Visitors today see worshippers lighting incense and placing offerings to honor the deceased and seek protection for their families.

The address is 110 Minquan Road, Section 1, and the site sits within easy reach in central Tainan. Public buses stop nearby, and the pathways through the halls are level and easy to walk.

The walls show painted scenes depicting life after death, with figures in traditional robes and mythical creatures. These images help visitors understand Chinese ideas about the afterlife and invite longer stays to study the details.