Saturday, October 20, 2007

Taoist Temple



I recently had a trip to Cebu City. Known as the "Queen City of the South", it boasts of a rich social, economic and religious history. Commerce and recreation blend harmoniously in Cebu. Cosmopolitan lifestyle in a provincial rustic ambiance permeates the air. The combination of different people, from Cebuanos with thick accents to foreign and local tourists, Cebu is really a mixture of people and culture.
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From a small fishing village and trading port, Cebu has grown into a highly urbanized metropolitan area, recognized as the center of trade and commerce in Southern Philippines.
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For the three days that I have stayed in Cebu, I will share to you my trip thru pictures and comments on the various historical landmarks as well as tourist attractions that Cebu can offer.

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My first stop is the visit to the Taoist Temple of Cebu City.







Being a multicultural community, Cebu is home to people of various origins, foremost among them Chinese and Spanish. The Chinese community, especially, play an important social, economic, and political role in Cebu. Owing to the large number of Chinese people in Cebu, a temple was built in 1972 to serve as a center of worship. That temple is the Taoist Temple. Located in posh and rich Chinese dominated Beverly Hills (which is about six kilometers from downtown Cebu), the temple houses the teachings of Lao-Tse, the 600 B.C. Chinese philosopher and the founder of Taoism.
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Though a center of worship for Taoism, people from different religions—even Catholics—still go there to honor the temple, to pray or meditate, and, often, to enjoy the excellent view of Cebu City. The temple is considered one of Cebu's local attractions visited by local and foreign visitors. Everyday, people climb its ninety-nine steps to light joss sticks and have their fortunes read.
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While the main structures are the Temples, other attractions that a tourist can find as they roam around the temple are an enormous multi-hued dragon, a statue of a chinese man who is fishing, a mini souvenir shop and a coin-operated telescope. The grounds of the temple also contains a replica of the Great Walls of China leading to an observatory deck where you can see a great panoramic view of the entire temple. That is where the first and last photo in this post were taken. On the same deck, you can also have a glimpse of Cebu City and the nearby Mactan and Bohol Islands.
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Taking pictures were prohibited inside the temple and also in the prayer room. So as a sign of respect, I did not take any photos of their Chinese Gods. But I can tell you that their worship temple houses 20 deities facing east. The altar is filled with food and fruit offerings. There are no chairs but just rows of cushioned blocks where the worshippers kneel and pray, seek guidance, and light joss sticks for the soul of their departed loved ones.
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Tourists all around the globe are always welcome in the Taoist Temple since the members of the Philippine Taoist Temple in Cebu make sure that the temple is open to everybody regardless of religion. People can pray there, throw coins in wishing pool, have their fortune read by the Taoist monks or just simply enjoy an excellent view of the city of Cebu from the top of a mountain.


More of Cebu in my next posts.

18 comments:

  1. Nice pictures. I see that you enjoy traveling. It is good that you are exposed to different cultures like that of Chinese.

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  2. I like the first pic. Chinatown are really everywhere.

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  3. My mom is from the Philippines, Bacolod.

    Thank you for posting the pictures. If you ever go over to Bacolod, please let me know!

    Hope you have a great day!

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  4. Galing din ako jan. Ganda dito. I especially love the hand-painted drawings on the walls and ceilings. Very peaceful ang atmosphere. I even prayed in the temple, parang Mano Po lang hahahaha!

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  5. Wow, beautiful temple. I think this one is more beautiful than the Chinese temple in Baguio.

    Lawstude, seems like "nalibot mo na ang buong Pilipinas." hehe.

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  6. :-( I guess your pic is better in black and white. Just blog hopping.

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  7. @ elizabeth - that is true, the Chinese has the biggest population in the world. i even read it somewhere that if all chinese people will simultaneously jump, then the earth will shake.

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  8. @ ruth - thanx for passing by. i like the first pic too.

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  9. @ chrisd - i have never been to bacolod but i have friends there. i'll visit them one of these days and i'll surely let you know. thanx for passing by.

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  10. @ carlo - i couldn't agree more. if u like wall and ceiling paintings, i'll post some of the churches of Cebu here soon.

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  11. @ rhodora - i think the one in Baguio is bigger but you are right, this Temple in Cebu is more attractive structural-wise. Thanx for dropping-by.

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  12. @ sara - i like colors and i do not like my photos re-touched, but i do some experiments on my other blog so u can check it out. (link is in the sidebar).

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  13. Wow! You're really going around. haven't been to Cebu except the airport. hehe. That is indeed a nice temple.

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  14. Really lovely. Can't wait to see more. Have a nice day.

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  15. @ ferdz - i have only been to cebu city going to mactan. next time i'll try to visit either moalboal or bantayan island both in cebu. mas maganda daw doon.

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  16. @ carol - thank you for the frequent visits. have a nice day too.

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  17. Galing ako dito!! at meron din ako same shot dun sa first pic mo. kahingal hagdan grabe. hahahah =)

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  18. beautiful pics...next time you visit Cebu, try mo Malapascua and TOPS...

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