This article was originally published on
November 1, 2010, in the Shenzhen Daily.
The information was accurate at that time, and may be outdated now. Use with caution.
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| Tianhou Temple, Shangsha, with Huang Ancestral Hall behind |
We often read that "Shenzhen was just a small fishing village" before 1980. But just before 1980, it was actually a string of such villages along the coast. One of these is Shangsha Village, one of the many settled by Shenzhen's ancient and ubiquitous Huang family.
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| Main Altar, Tianhou Temple, Shangsha |
Beside the Huang family hall there's a Tianhou Temple, a sign of how "coastal" this village was, as Tianhou is a goddess of the sea who protects fisherfolk and sailors. (She's also known as Mazu; you can read more about her here.)
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| Kui Xing, God of Examinations, Tianhou Temple, Shangsha |
She is on the central altar inside the temple. To her left (as we face her) is Kui Xing, the demonic-looking assistant to Wen Chang, the God of Literature. Kui Xing is the stellar Deity of Examinations; he is often petitioned by scholars before big exams. The exquisite statue holds a brush pen used to mark "pass" on examinations.
To Tianhou's right is Cai Shen, the God of Wealth, another extremely well-fashioned image. He holds an old-style gold ingot, symbolizing money.
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| Earth God Platform, Shangsha |
Aside from these altars and the one in the Huang Hall, there is one more, across the plaza. This is for Tu Di, the Earth God. Too low-status to be inside a temple, his platforms are often found outside and to the "southeast" (if the temple altar faces south).
The Plaza also includes a performance stage and space for people to play and relax. The village lies just south of the intersection of Fuqiang and Binhe Roads in Futian.
Another article in the Shenzhen Daily:
Huang family temple and Tianhou temple
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