Beiji Temple (West Central Areas)(北極殿(中西區))

Beiji Temple(北極殿) mainly worships Beiji Xuan Tian Shang Di, and lies above Jiuling(鷲嶺), a relatively high point in Tainan. Because of the Northern Black Tortoise, unlike other temples, Beiji Temple uses black as its main color. The temple currently has the oldest horizontal plaque in Tainan, the "Wei Xian He Yi" plaque (威顯赫奕)from 1669, presented by King Ning Jing Wang Zhu Shu-gui. The temple's old bell dates back to the 17th Year of Daoguang Reign of Qing Dynasty (1837), and was commissioned by Tainan businessman Wu Shang-xin (founder of Tainan Wu Garden),who travelled to Suzhou in mainland China to have the bell made and sent to the temple. Beiji Temple is full of old treasures like these. The alley next to the temple was called Geta Alley(柴屐巷) on old maps, and used to contain lots of shops selling the Japanese style wooden "Geta" clogs. Although there is no trace of them any more, you can imagine the once bustling scene of Tainan's main streets.