Taoist Temple

Located in the wealthy residential suburb of Beverly Hills about 6 km north of downtown Cebu is an enormous Taoist Temple. It was built by Cebu’s substantial Chinese community (the Chinese make up about 15% of Cebu’s population).

The temple is the a center of worship for Taoism, the religion which follows the teachings of the ancient Chinese philosopher, Lao Tze. You can see Taoist devotees following their rituals on Wednesdays and Sundays, as they climb the 99 steps of the temple to light joss sticks and have their fortunes read by the monks.

Built in 1972, the Taoist Temple is constructed in a highly ornate and, some would say, gaudy style of Chinese architecture, and is topped with a pagoda-style roof. The temple has an elevation of 300 meters above sea level, and if you climb the 99 steps to the entrance, you will be rewarded with a good view of Cebu City and in the distance Mactan and Bohol islands. Nice sunset views too.

Not far from this temple, on the top of a hill a little lower down, is another Taoist edifice known as the Cebu Heavenly Temple of Charity. This temple has an imposing central altar with many statues of the Chinese gods and goddesses on all sides. These include the Supreme God and Milagrosa Rosa (the temple's patron saint).

The hill where it stands has its own excellent views. A water spring flows underneath the temple. Though visited by fewer tourists, the Heavenly Temple of Charity has is very beautiful and is definitely worth a visit.

What is Taoism? Taoism is a Chinese religion/philosophy based on the teachings of Lao Tze who was said to have lived in the 6th century BC and the sacred text, the Tao te Ching.that Lao Tze is traditionally believed to have written. Taoists believe the "tao" (the way), that refers to the principle of the universe. An emphasis is put on remaining in harmony with the "tao" and with one's environment, which in turn leads to right behavior.