Traveling to Hsinchu City God Temple 新竹城隍廟

Hsinchu Bingo: City God Temple

You have found yourself traveling to Hsinchu. Even by local Taiwan standards, the city of Hsinchu does not rank high in their travel books. What some people write off as a one-horse town is actually an opportunity to find lesser-known destinations and travel off of the beaten path. Of course, before you start making your own itinerary, you’ll at least want to see the “horse” of this “one-horse town”, right? Welcome to Hsinchu’s City God Temple (新竹城隍廟)!

Many travelers make a beeline straight from Hsinchu Train Station to the City God Temple. After leaving Hsinchu, people are bound to ask you, “Have you tried Hsinchu’s meatballs?” and “Did you eat at Hairui (海瑞贡丸). Within an hour of exploring the City God Temple (also known as Chenghuang Temple), you will be able to check all of the boxes!

Located in the heart of Hsinchu, all signs point to the City God Temple. Surrounding the temple you will find loads of shops selling local delicacies and long lines of tourists with their mouths watering. Before you indulge in some of the local snacks yourself, you are bound to come across a familiar statue. While it may look like the Merlion of Singapore. This is actually a half-carp half-dragon (龍鲤). To quickly summarize the legend, this statue represents the life of Hsinchu, its rebirth, and its growth.

Looking for more places in Taiwan off the beaten path? Be sure to check out Kinmen!

Eating Your Way Through Hsinchu

Leaving the main plaza behind, you will now find yourself pushing through crowds into the interior of the City God Temple. Before you can enter the actual complex, you will be tempted by stall after stall of local snacks and dishes. Most of the shops are selling either Hsinchu pork balls  (貢丸) (usually around 50 NTD) or  Taiwan Spring Rolls (潤餅). Just going on looks, the most popular place to eat is Liujia (柳家), a restaurant where you can get a piping hot plate of fried rice. If you are looking for something to go, you’ll want to head outside the entrance of the temple to Hairui (海瑞贡丸).

The typical rule of thumb is that you’ll want to follow the lines. If you have people queuing up for half an hour, you are sure to be getting some of the very best food Hsinchu has to offer. Some tourists from Taiwan find themselves traveling across the island just to grab a bite of some of these meatballs!

Still a bit hungry? Some of the best food in Taiwan can be found in Jiufen!

Dinner and a Show

If you’re not much of a foodie, you may find yourself wanting to push through the crowds and escape the clanking of dishes and the general roar of the food court. Contrary to what you may think, the soul of the City God Temple is just as much in the restaurants as it is in the temple itself. It isn’t every day that you can grab a seat facing the inside of a traditional Taoist temple while sipping on a bowl of meatball soup. So take a few breaths and feel the crowds and madness of the market swarm around you as if you are in the eye of a hurricane.

People-watching from your stall is fun enough on its own. But if you are particularly lucky, you may be able to watch a traditional drama play out on stage. Gezi Opera (歌仔戲) is a traditional form of acting that is actually not performed for people, but rather for the gods of the temple. If you are sitting in one of the stalls directly in front of the Chenghuang Temple, the stage is located on the opposite side of you.

If you are going to be heading back to Taipei, be sure not to miss these famous sites!

Entering the City God Temple

With your stomach full, you are now ready to enter the temple itself. Taoist temples in Taiwan are typically pretty relaxed. You are free to take pictures and wander where you like. Of course, when in doubt be sure to ask what is and what is not allowed in a temple. People can be seen busily burning incense and bowing before entering the temple. A temple is not strictly quiet, you’ll often hear echoing conversations, phones going off, as well as your occasional ceremonial bells.

Hsinchu’s Chenghuang Temple is nothing spectacular on the surface. It is actually quite ordinary when compared to some of the other temples you are bound to come across in Taiwan. You’ll find no high towers that offer sweeping views of the city. Nothing extremely ornate decorating the walls. Nor will you find anything that truly separates it from every other temple in the country. So why then is Hsinchu’s City God Temple so famous?

If you are going to be heading back to Taipei, be sure not to miss these famous sites!

The Center of All City God Temples

With 95 City God Temples spread throughout Taiwan, Hsinchu’s is the heart. As the headquarters of all of the temples, it is not uncommon for deities from other cities to come to Hsinchu to pay homage to Cheng Huang Ye (城隍爺). Not only that, but a local legend says that during the Qing Dynasty the Emperor’s son was lost at sea. In a dream, a local official in Hsinchu was told by Cheng Huang Ye to look for the Emperor’s son in the Fragrant Hills (香山). Afterward, the temple was held up in high regard by the Emperor.

If you are really wanting to see the City God Temple and all of Hsinchu come alive, you’ll want to be sure to visit during Ghost Month  (中元節). Starting on the first day of the 7th month according to the lunar calendar, you’ll find everything from the Eight Generals of Hell （八家将）and even the giant puppets known as (大仙尪子). Hsinchu’s Zhongyuan Festival last’s several days. During this time, do not expect to sleep much. The entire city will be buzzing with excitement and blasting off firecrackers.

Wanting to escape the city? Don’t forget to check out Chishang!

Zhongyang Market 中央市場

After wandering the corridors of the City God Temple, why not dwell deeper into the market? Directly behind the food court lies Zhongyang Market (中央市場). This labyrinth consists of hundreds upon hundreds of shops, all thrown together in a confusing beehive. If you don’t mind getting lost and seeing where you end up, this is the start of the real adventure. Don’t be surprised to see a butchery right next to a high fashion clothing shop, there is little order or organization when it comes to Zhongyang Market.

Hsinchu’s Zhongyang Market is yet another place where you can plop yourself down and observe people going about their day-to-day lives. Right smack in the heart of the market, there are several food stalls where you can rest your feet before braving the crowds again and attempting to find your way out of the maze. There are several exits from the market, so don’t be surprised when you finally see the light of day and end up on the other side of the city!

There are plenty of other temples in Taiwan, don’t miss the enormous Foguangshan Temple!

Is Traveling To Hsinchu’s Chenghuang Temple Worth It?

Hsinchu is a diamond in the rough. The fact that this city has been kept off of most travelers’ itineraries is a crime. Hsinchu’s City God Temple may not be the shiniest jewel in its crown, but it is the best starting point. Your day will start off with simply visiting the city’s most famous attraction. But before you know it, you’ll be asking yourself, “What is behind the next corner?” Your curiosity will take you from temple to market, to coffee shop, and even to the sunny coast of Hsinchu.

Hsinchu is a city to get lost in and fall in love with. Without being overly massive and extremely tiny, the cultural center around the City God Temple will have you walking in circles overwhelmed with all the backstreets and destinations off of the beaten path. Be careful, before you know it, you may be looking at ways to call Hsinchu your home for good.

If you are wanting to learn more about temple fairs in Taiwan, be sure to check out this one in Tainan!