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.