Cebu Taoist Temple 16 Nov 2015

Monday we continued our Cebu adventure by exploring and went to the Taoist Temple, as it is not really our interest by going to there, but feeling like we have came to Cebu, as it is like we have not fully explored this city.

We took a cab to there, the area is located in the high-end Beverly Hills subdivision in Cebu City, as we passed by the residential areas, we can see a lot of bungalows with huge land area.

The temple was built by the Chinese community of Cebu. The towering, multicoloured tourist attraction has an elevation of 300 meters above sea level and is accessible by three separate winding routes.

The Taoist Temple is open to worshipers and non-worshipers. Built in 1972, the temple is the center of worship for Taoism, which follows the teachings of Lao Tze, an ancient Chinese philosopher.

According to locals whom believe rituals for the devotees to pray to the gods for their wishes to be granted. The ritual also includes the washing of hands, entering the chapel barefoot and dropping two blocks of wood.

If both blocks of wood fall face up, then the wish will be granted. If not, then perhaps the time has not come yet for the wish to be granted, and one has to come back to the temple at another time.

Another ritual among the devotees, done during Wednesdays and Sundays, is the climbing of its 99 steps to light joss sticks and have their fortune read by the monks.

All these rituals are so familiar to us, as it have formed one of our Chinese cultures and customs throughout our growing years, as all these are nothing new to us.

Reaching the top would also reward is a marvellous view of Cebu City and the islands of Mactan and Bohol in the distance.

The temple includes a replica of the Great Wall of China at the entrance, chapel, a library, a souvenir shop, spacious balconies, and a wishing well. Also remarkable is the giant dragon statue.

The temple is constructed in a highly ornate style of Chinese architecture and is topped with a pagoda-style roof. Present in Taoist architecture are structures according to their functions, categorized as palace for oblation and sacrifice, altar for praying and offering, cubby for religious service, and garden for visitors.

The Taoist Temple is one of the most popular tourist spots in the city. Travel agencies usually include trips to the Taoist Temple in their tour packages. It also gets frequent visits from students for their field trips.

The Taoist Temple is a beautiful place to meditate and relax. One can definitely do some soul-searching in its sprawling gardens and astonishing view with the benefit of fresh air. Discover and appreciate a taste of Chinese culture in the Taoist Temple, and open yourself up to a brilliant, whole new experience.

It was really a hot hot day as all of us were extremely exhausted after visiting the Temple, and we have to walk down from the hill as the cabs seldom go up there as it is a high end residential area. It was so lucky for us to get a cab which the driver send us down to the hill, and from there we able to get a cab to drive us to Colon Street.

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