Wen'ao is one of the early settlements in Penghu, originally known as Anao(暗澳), and was once the administrative center of the region. In the 23rd year of the Kangxi era (1684), after Penghu was incorporated into the Qing Dynasty's territory, an Inspection Agency was established in Anao, following previous administrative practices. This agency remained in operation for over 40 years until it was abolished in the 5th year of the Yongzheng era (1727). The following year, the Penghu Maritime Defense and Granary Office was established at the site of the former Inspection Agency.
  
The Wen'ao City God Temple is the oldest City God Temple in Penghu, located at the center of the old Wen'ao settlement. According to Hu Jianwei, who served as the magistrate of Penghu during the Qianlong period, he recorded in his historical account Penghu Chronicles(澎湖紀略): "The Wen'ao City God Temple is located east of the government office, but its structure is narrow and inadequate for proper reverence, constrained by the limited land." This is the earliest known written reference to the Wen'ao City God Temple.
Another account suggests that the temple was established in the 8th year of the Yongzheng era (1730). This assumption is based on the remains of an old stone tablet from the Magong City God Temple, which contains an inscription mentioning the initiation of City God worship in Penghu in that year. Therefore, the exact founding year of the Wen'ao City God Temple is uncertainbut likely falls somewhere between the Kangxi and Yongzheng periods (1684-1730).Additionally, in the 1st year of the Xianfeng era (1851), Lu Chunhsiao, a government official in Penghu, oversaw a major renovation of the temple.
  
After the Qing Dynasty relocated the government office to Magong City in the 15th year of the Guangxu era (1889), Wen'ao City God Temple transitioned into a local temple serving the Wen'ao community. During the Japanese colonial period, believers performed rituals such as spirit writing and the creation of morality books at the temple. After Taiwan's recovery from Japanese rule, local residents noticed the temple's deterioration due to lack of maintenance during the colonial period. In 1950, the community raised funds to restore the temple.
  
Though the width of the temple remained unchanged, its depth was expanded to form its present structure. In 1967, due to the temple's simple and modest design, another fundraising effort was launched to finance further renovations. Four years later, the temple underwent repainting and decorative enhancements while still preserving the traditional architectural style of Penghu temples.
Source: Penghu Travel, 2021 Cultural Heritage Manual