Built
in 1972, the Cebu Taoist Temple is located in Lahug Beverly Hills Subdivision
in Cebu City, Philippines. The temple was built by Cebu's substantial Chinese
community. With an elevation of 300 metres (980 ft) above sea level, the temple
is a towering, multi-tiered, multi-hued attraction accessible by three separate
winding routes.
Unlike
the neighboring Phu Sian Temple,the Taoist temple is open to the worshipers and
non-worshipers alike. A ritual among devotees is where one prays to the gods to
grant one's wish. The ritual includes washing of hands, going inside the chapel
barefoot and dropping two blocks of wood. If the blocks of wood are both face
up then one could make a wish. If not then it is not yet the time for one's
wish to be granted and one has to come to the temple some other time.
The
temple is the center of worship for Taoism, the religion which follows the
teachings of the ancient Chinese philosopher, Lao Zi. Another ritual among
Taoist devotees, which is done during Wednesdays and Sundays, is the climbing
of its 81 steps (representing the 81 chapters of Taoism scriptures) to light
joss sticks and have their fortune read by the monks.
The
entrance to the temple is a replica of the Great Wall of China. The temple
includes a chapel, a library, a souvenir shop and a wishing well. The spacious
balconies offer a scenic view of the downtown Cebu.
Some guide books and travel
agencies offer trips to the temple or as a side-trip in a tour around Cebu
City. But it is more popular with grade school students and no student who grew
up in Cebu City or the neighboring Mandaue City has not gone to the temple in
any one of their field trips.
Been there already? How was your
experience? Let me know in the comments section or message me on Facebook!