Penghu Tianhou Temple was established very early, with the earliest documented reference dating back to the 32nd year of the Wanli reign (1604).In that year, after the failure of the Dutch East India Company's commander, Wybrand van Warwijck, in his attack on Macau, he led his fleet to Penghu and sent representatives to Fujian to request permission for trade. Due to the Ming Dynasty's maritime ban policy, the government rejected this request, prompting them to send General Shen Yujung with fifty warships to Penghu to negotiate and demand the Dutch withdrawal. Wybrand van Warwijck, seeing that trade was not possible and lacking supplies, left Penghu at the end of that year. In a letter written during the Tianqi era, Tung Yingchu mentioned this event to the Governor of Fujian, Nan Chui: "Penghu harbor is shaped like a gourd and above it stands the Tianfei Temple. General Shen Yujung has driven away Wybrand van Warwijck here." (The term "Penghu" was used in the original text as an ancient name for the region and Tianfei Temple refers to Penghu Tianhou Temple.) Further research suggests that the negotiations likely took place on the Dutch warships near the shore, but the Penghu Tianhou Temple is indeed a landmark often mentioned in historical documents after the mid-Ming period. In the 8th year of the Taisho era (1919), during repairs to the Penghu Tianhou Temple, a stone tablet was discovered, which reads "Shen Yujung ordered the retreat of the Dutchman Wybrand van Warwijck." This tablet, now preserved in the back hall's Qingfengge on the west side, is the oldest surviving stone tablet in Taiwan and is listed as a national treasure.
The temple's structure was repeatedly renovated by the Qing government, with the present layout being largely the result of renovations in the 12th year of the Taisho era (1923), overseen by the master carpenter Lan Mu. The wood carvings and paintings inside were created by renowned artisans of the time. Further repairs were carried out in 1983, 2014 and 2024.
Currently, the main deity enshrined at Penghu Tianhou Temple is the Golden-Faced Mazu, with additional deities including Qianliyan (the Thousand-Mile Eye), Shen Feng Er (the Shunfeng Ear), the Goddess of Childbirth, Guanyin of Fertility, Confucius, Hu Yeh (Tiger God) and the Chiching couple. Penghu Tianhou Temple, regarded as a treasure trove of art, boasts of a wealth of exceptional craftsmanship, from its architecture to the exquisite gilded paintings, stone carvings, wood carvings, floral engravings and colorful paintings, all created by master artisans. These works showcase the high level of achievement in Taiwan's folk art.
Recommended Duration of Visit: 1 hour

Source: Penghu Travel, Chronicle of the Founding of the Tianhou Temple in Penghu, Online Museum of the National Museum of Taiwan History, A Discussion on Shen Yourong’s Dismissal of Wei Mawang and the Monument Location at Tianhou Temple in Penghu, Top 100 Religious Sites of Taiwan.