Location:
No. 200, Section 3, Cheng-kong Road, Taoyuan City
Year of construction:
1938 (13th year of the Showa Era, Japanese Colonial Era)
Getting there:
Board the Taoyuan Express bus at Taoyuan Railway Station heading for Fu-tou Mountain. and alight at the Martyrs Shrine.
Information for visitors:
The shrine is located on Fu-tou Mountain, in the suburbs of Taoyuan City amid dense forest. All the structures are made of wood. Please do not litter and do not create fire hazards. Please do not damage or deface the site.
Taoyuan Martyrs Shrine was first constructed by the Japanese as a Jinja (literally translated as ‘spiritual society’). Before the 918 Incident, the Japanese colonial government did not take an active role in establishing Jinja in Taiwan; at that time, there were only 25 Jinja on the entire island. When the Japanese started preparing for war in 1931, the colonial government adopted a policy of "one Jinja for every village" in an effort to promote the Jinja as the spiritual centers of Taiwanese society.
On September 23, 1938 (the13th year of the Showa Era), the founding ceremony of Taoyuan Jinja was held to worship the three Gods of Creation and Prince Nohisa, as well as the Harvest God and the Meiji Emperor. This Jinja then became affiliated with the entire county during the last years of the war, and then with Hsinchu. The structure is divided into a main section, ceremonial hall, administration office, and hand washing area. It has a streamlined shape, evidenced particularly in the curved roof. Pilgrims must wash their hands with a bamboo ladle before they proceed to the ceremonial hall, in order to cleanse themselves symbolically of the impurities of earthly existence.
Pilgrims worship gods in the ceremonial hall. The gods’ tablets are located here, along with a donation box and bell. To maintain the sanctity of the hall, only master worshippers are permitted inside during ceremonies. The monks manage daily affairs from the administration office.
There were about 200 Jinja built in Taiwan during the Japanese Colonial Era. Afterward, the government announced the "Rules Regarding the Removal of Symbols of Japanese Imperialist Authority from Commemorative and Historical Sites in Taiwan", which proscribed the destruction of Taiwan’s Jinja; Taoyuan Jinja is the only one that remains today. People flock from all corners to admire its delicate lines, superior construction and elegant structural design. The Jinja was classified as a Class Three Historical Site on February 15, 1994.