Walking Through Tainan’s Martial Temple: Loyalty, Courage, and Character

In my previous post, I shared a visit to Tainan’s Confucius Temple, a place where learning was treated with deep respect. This second post takes us to the city’s Martial Temple, 臺灣祀典武廟, near Chihkan Tower 赤崁樓.

The temple honors Guan Yu 關羽, also known as 關聖帝君, who is remembered for loyalty, righteousness, and courage.

According to the temple’s history, its beginnings date to 1665, during the rule of Zheng Chenggong’s family in Taiwan. Its predecessor was a hall dedicated to Guan Yu in the garden behind Prince Ningjing’s residence. In 1727, the Qing court placed it within the official government ritual system, with ceremonies held in spring and autumn. This status gave the temple its name: 祀典武廟, the Martial Temple of the Official Rites.

Walking through the halls, I found myself looking closely at the carved wood, embroidered robes, and Chinese characters written on plaques and pillars. There was so much to see, but one idea stayed with me:

Character is revealed in how we live.

Photo 1: Martial Temple

Two gold characters in an ornate frame welcome visitors to Tainan’s Martial Temple.

武 means “martial” or “military.” It is pronounced wǔ in Mandarin, bu in Japanese martial arts terms, and mu in Korean. 廟, pronounced miào in Mandarin, means “temple.”

If you practice Asian martial arts, you may already know 武 from words such as 武術, wǔshù, in Chinese; 武道, budō, in Japanese; or 무도, mudo, in Korean, written 武道 in Chinese characters.

The same character connects these traditions across languages.

Photo 2: A Glimpse Inside

Through the doorway, tiled roofs and layers of calligraphy draw the eye deeper into the temple.

The central plaque reads 文武聖衡, from right to left in the traditional direction used on many older Chinese signs.

Character by character, 文 refers to learning or civil culture; 武 to martial strength; 聖 to a sage or something sacred; and 衡 to balance or a standard of judgment.

I read it as a tribute to the balance of learning and martial virtue. Even in a martial temple, strength and scholarship belong together.

Photo 3: The Main Hall

An incense burner stands before the hall, surrounded by carved wood, gold lettering, and offerings.

There are Chinese characters almost everywhere you look. Some identify the temple or its deities. Others praise virtues or express wishes.

Is there an inscription here you would like me to explain? Let me know. Sometimes understanding just a few characters changes how we see the whole space.

Photo 4: A Closer Look

The incense burner rewards a second look, with sculpted figures and elaborate details.

Around it, visitors hold incense as they pray. The craftsmanship and the everyday act of worship share the same space.

Photo 5: Through the Shadows

A shaded doorway frames a sunlit view of the temple courtyard.

I enjoyed these layers of light and shadow. Each doorway offered another view and another reason to pause.

Photo 6: Offerings in Color

Flowers, fruit, and neatly arranged offerings fill the altar with color.

Someone selected these flowers, brought the fruit, and placed everything with care. These small acts keep the temple connected to the lives of the people who visit.

Photo 7: Words on the Pillars

The pillar inscriptions use seal script, an ancient style of Chinese writing.

Its rounded lines and elongated forms look quite different from the lettering in the earlier photographs. Even familiar characters can take a moment to recognize.

Here, calligraphy becomes part of the architecture, inviting visitors to pause and read.

Photo 8: The Far-Reaching Influence of Righteousness

This plaque reads 義風溥化, pronounced yì fēng pǔ huà in Mandarin.

義 means righteousness, or doing what is right. 風 means wind, but here suggests a moral spirit or influence. 溥 means broad or far-reaching. 化 means transformation.

Together, the phrase praises the far-reaching, transforming influence of righteousness.

The plaque bears the name of former Taiwan president Tsai Ing-wen 蔡英文. A presidential office record also documents her presentation of a plaque with this inscription to the temple in 2019.

These four characters express an ideal closely associated with Guan Yu: a person’s example can influence others long after that person is gone.

Photo 9: Signs of Respect

The ceremonial signs include 肅靜, “Keep quiet,” and 迴避, “Make way,” alongside the temple’s name.

Traditionally carried in ceremonial processions, these signs ask people to show respect and clear a path as the deity’s image passes.

They bring the formality of the temple out into the streets.

Photo 10: A Moment of Prayer

Incense smoke rises before rows and columns of small glowing lights.

These are devotional lamps. Worshipers make offerings to register lamps in their names, praying for blessings such as peace, wisdom, and a bright path ahead. The temple offers several kinds, including lamps associated with learning and marriage.

From a distance, they form a wall of light. Up close, each one represents someone’s hope.

Photo 11: An Embroidered Presence

This fierce, dark-faced figure holding a long weapon appears to be Zhou Cang 周倉, Guan Yu’s traditional attendant.

The temple’s history records statues of Zhou Cang and Guan Yu’s son, Guan Ping 關平, standing beside Guan Yu in the main hall.

Guan Yu is traditionally portrayed with a red face and a long black beard. This figure is a reminder that the statues surrounding him have their own identities and stories.

The embroidered robe is worth a close look, with dragons, bright colors, and layers of carefully worked detail.

Photo 12: A Wish for Love

願天下有情人終成眷屬

“May all lovers in the world become partners in marriage.”

This wish is written beside the Yue Lao shrine toward the rear of the temple complex. Yue Lao is traditionally associated with matchmaking and marriage. The Martial Temple’s Yue Lao is counted among Tainan’s four well-known Yue Lao shrines.

Within a temple known for loyalty and courage, there is also a place for the hope of finding someone to share life with.

Photo 13: Faces and Stories

A wall inside the Yue Lao shrine is covered with photographs, including wedding portraits.

Couples leave photographs as expressions of thanks for finding a partner. Together, these faces make the shrine feel very personal.

Behind each photograph is a story we can only imagine.

Photo 14: Yue Lao, the Matchmaker

Here is 月老公, Yuè Lǎo Gōng, the deity traditionally associated with love and marriage.

月 means “moon.” 老 means “old” or “elder.” 公 is a respectful title for an older man.

月老 is short for 月下老人, “the Old Man Under the Moon.” In traditional stories, he joins destined couples with a red thread.

An embroidered robe, a carved backdrop, and warm lamplight make this shrine worth a closer look.

Photo 15: An Embroidered Name

The embroidered banner reads 月老公, from right to left.

Once you recognize the characters, the banner becomes more than decoration. It tells you whose shrine you are standing before.

I enjoy these moments when beautiful lettering also helps us understand a place.

Photo 16: Honoring Guan Yu

Here we see several images of Guan Yu, honored as 關聖帝君, in different sizes.

Some of the smaller statues were visiting from other temples. I noticed inscriptions on the figures identifying where they came from, although I did not photograph those details.

These visits connect temples through a shared devotion to Guan Yu. Seeing the figures gathered together gave me a sense of that wider community, beyond the walls of this temple.

Photo 17: Aiyu Jelly

After the temple visit, here is a dessert I love: 愛玉冰, àiyù bīng, chilled aiyu jelly.

Traditional aiyu jelly is made by rubbing dried aiyu seeds in water. They release pectin, which allows the liquid to set into a soft jelly. It is often served with lemon juice and sweetened water, making it especially refreshing on a warm day.

There is a remarkable natural partnership behind this simple dessert. The aiyu plant and its tiny pollinating fig wasp, called 愛玉小蜂, are native to Taiwan. The wasp pollinates the flowers, helping the plant produce seeds, while the plant provides a home for the wasp’s young.

Knowing how much depends on this tiny insect makes a simple bowl of jelly even more interesting.

For me, it was a delicious way to finish the visit.

Reflection

Looking back at these photographs, I keep returning to the words written throughout the temple. They speak of loyalty, righteousness, and the hopes people carry into their daily lives.

The Confucius Temple invited me to reflect on learning. The Martial Temple invited me to think about what we do with what we learn. Keeping our word, standing by others, and doing what is right all require character.

I also enjoyed the small details: flowers on the altar, incense rising through the light, and the care someone put into a carving or an embroidered robe. These gave me reasons to slow down and look again.

If you visit Tainan’s Martial Temple, give yourself time to notice them. Sometimes a few characters above a doorway can leave you with something to think about long after you have walked outside.