Jingfu Temple

I love the temples in Taiwan.  They come in all shapes and sizes.  They never fail to surprise me, no matter how grand, or how humble.

This morning, after being wowed by the New Year pigs at the bakery we went to the closest Citibank to use the ATM.  On our way out I noticed a temple peeking out from behind some canvas.

This was enough for me to get Taylor's attention and go in for a closer look.

What we discovered was a good sized drop dead gorgeous temple.  The man at the entrance was most welcoming and eager to educate us about the Taoist temples in Taiwan.  This is Jingfu Temple and it is 140 years old.  It has recently been restored and it is most glorious.  We started on the ground floor where we met the main god, "tu di gong", the God of the earth.

Each temple has its own gods.  Jingfu Temple's main god is "tu di gong."

As we climbed the stairs to the next two levels, we were treated to more and more elaborate carvings.  I wonder if the escalation of decorative style has to do with getting closer and closer to heaven?

When we rented our apartment we didn't know what to expect from the new neighborhood.  I feel we got a bonus by being only a 10 minute walk from this feast for the senses.