Welcome to the GEM of Taoist Temple in the Philippines!
The first Taoist temple in the Philippines where the renowned Spider Dome is found.
Perched atop a hill overlooking the vast China Sea with a panoramic view of the harbor of San Fernando and China Sea, the Temple is a vast complex of stone carvings of Taoist disciples, and lions, arches, fountains, towers, pagodas, gardens, dormitory and spacious parking space. Inside you will find the breathtaking 13 tiers spider-type dome, camphor-wood-carvings of deities and many traditional Taoist interior decors.
A magnificently designed edifice adorned with Chinese motif of lions and dragons, deities and decorative stone carvings of saints, and camphor woods etchings are imported from both Taiwan and China.
Its dome, made from 13 tiers of interlinking wood carvings of saints, is a rarity in design and construction, you can’t find one like this even in Taipei. Having been designed, created and installed by Taiwanese architect Shu Ing Tung.
The temple, built by the respected architect Thomas Diokno sans professional fees. The late Mr. Dy Keh Hio and the late Tourism Minister Mr. Jose D. Aspiras were the the moving spirit behind the Temple’s construction, supported by an enthusiastic group of Taoist devotees in La Union. The Temple cornerstone was laid on September 11, 1975 and the first bucket of cement was poured on December 5, 1976. The Temple was inaugurated on December 8, 1978.
Today, it stands as a majestic landmark along the sea coast of San Fernando City towering over seven stories in height, 70 feet above sea level. It is a place for praise and worship, to meditate and to seek guidance from the dieties. It is the belief of devotees that those who enter a Taoist temple can communicate with the Gods. Through session called “Buyong” in the Ma-Cho temple, devotees try to “communicate” with the gods and ask questions ranging from “will I become rich?” to “will my cancer get cured?“.
There are no specific days set aside for one to visit a Taoist temple. For those who believe, Taoism states that anybody, irrespective of nationality, is welcome to pray, meditate and offer at the Temple. All are welcome, and even the Virgin Mary of Caysasay from Taal, Batangas visited the Temple.