Hsinchu Chenghuang Temple

Date CapturedSeptember 9th, 2013 at 12:12 UTCCameraNIKON D3100LensAF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED IIApertureƒ / 3.5Shutter Speed1/60 secFocal Length22.0 mmISO900Exposure Value9.5 EVOriginal Size3600 × 2400

Founded in 1748 by Tamsui Prefecture (淡水廳) sub-prefect Zēng Rìyīng (曾日瑛) on land donated by pioneer settler Wáng Shìjié (王世傑), whose tablet remains enshrined here. The highest-ranking city god temple in Taiwan, promoted twice under the Qing, ultimately reaching capital level (都城隍) in 1890 when the Guangxu Emperor bestowed the calligraphic plaque Jīnmén Bǎozhàng (金門保障). A major 1924 renovation spearheaded by Zhèng Zhàojī (鄭肇基) gave it much of its current form. Today the temple is enmeshed within a labyrinth of covered passages and flanked by a famous food court.