【Address】No. 89, Mincyuan Road, Tainan City.
【Brief Introduction】
The Northern Emperor literally means The Mysterious Supreme Emperor of Heaven, and is also known as Beiji Emperor, Beiji Yousheng Jhenjyun, Kaitian Emperor, and Yuanwu God. It is also colloquially known as Shangdi Gong, Shangdi Ye, or Diye Gong.
【History】
The Beiji Temple of Tainan is commonly known as The Dashangdi Temple and was at the time of its construction (during the Ming Dynasty) situated on Chihcian Street in the Dongan District. Owing to the prominent status of its geographical location, the temple’s majestic nature was even more conspicuous. The temple underwent several renovations. In 1804, an additional mansion was added at the back of the temple to provide temporary accommodation for soldiers and townsmen, gaining the title Tongshan Camp (Tongshan Yingcao Guan). In 1907, under the Japanese occupation, the front of the temple was demolished to give way to road constructions. In 1964, a second demolition took place when the city government constructed a 15-meter wide road. Currently, the three-entryway front of the temple is simply a pedestrian arcade with the temple itself seven stone steps above. The front hall of the temple was reconstructed in 1971.
【Features】
The temple worships The Mysterious Supreme Emperor of Heaven with magnificence and glory. However, the constructions, big and small alike, are all reasonably new constructions, losing its ancient sentiments. Still, the temple preserves the city’s oldest board with the inscription ''Wei Ling He Yi''(Efficacious, Mighty, and Majestic), presented by Prince Ningjing (Jhu Shu-guei) during the Jheng period in 1669. An additional board was presented by Chen Bin of Taiwan in 1713 during the Qing Dynasty, inscribed with the words ''Chen Jyu Sing Gong'' (Almighty). Furthermore, the carvings and inscriptions on the pillars and walls are all valuable historical relics.