Seeing the face of Matsu in Kaohsiung County

Something similar happened not long ago during the construction of a new temple in Kaohsiung County (高雄縣). Workers poured concrete for one part of the roof of what is now called the Shunsian Gong (順賢宮). Later, when checking to see if it had set properly, they found something that many people think interesting, and more than a few consider miraculous – among the stains and discolorations in the concrete, it's just about possible to discern the face of Matsu (媽祖), Taiwan's Goddess of the Sea.

The temple, which was formally inaugurated on October 18, 2008, took more than a decade to plan and build. A photo of the site taken in August 1996 shows a dilapidated wattle-and-daub shack surrounded by long grass. Now, in addition to the temple and car parking lots, there's a sizable body of water called the Holy Mother Lake (聖母湖), and an annex where the pious can stay overnight, take meals or relax over a coffee.

If you wander inside the temple, one of the shrine's volunteers is likely to beckon you over to a television screen linked to a remote-controlled camera. The camera, high up on the roof, points at the square of unpainted concrete where Matsu appeared. The volunteer will point out for you the goddess's eyes, nose and chin.

If the Matsu apparition leaves you unimpressed, head upstairs. On the left at the back there's a very fine ceiling painting of a tiger ready to pounce. By comparison the dragon on the right is a little disappointing.

Some of the panels upstairs bear labels showing how much a donor needs to fork over to be considered a benefactor of the temple and the sponsor of that particular piece. NT$50,000 gets you a decorative-relief panel approximately one square meter in size.

The relief carvings on the back of the main chamber are excellent. The central panel shows hundreds of human figures, together with birds, lions, trees and flowers. The side panels feature chubby Buddhas in various poses.

Other gods worshipped here include Dongyue (東嶽), the emperor of the underworld, and the Land God. However, people don't come here only to pray. Behind the temple a hiking trail leads into the forest. According to the information board, which is in Chinese only, the shortest route takes 30 minutes, the longest two-and-a-half hours.

Shunsian Gong served as the main venue of the 2009 Battle Array (宋江陣). Historically, the Purple Bamboo Temple (紫竹寺, located in what residents of Neimen (內門) consider their “downtown”) has been the center of the action, and it's still worth visiting if you happen to be in the area.

Shunsian Temple's address is 8-8 Cai­yuanding, Neinan Village, Neimen Township (內門鄉內南村菜園頂8號-8). It's a few hundred meters from Taiwan Highway 3 (the old provincial route, not the new freeway). Close to the 404-kilometer marker, you'll see a bilingual sign pointing left to the temple. The entrance is across the road from the South Taiwan campus of Shih Chien University (實踐大學). Buses between Qishan (旗山) and Tainan (台南) will stop here if you ask the driver in advance.

For more information call (07) 667-4820 or look at the Chinese-only website: www.shunsian.org. The temple is open every day from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.

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