Although Matsu culture is very popular in China's southern provinces and southeastern Asia, not everyone knows China's earliest Matsu temple is located in Changdao county, said Zhang Yong, president of Tourism Bureau in Changdao, the only island county in Eastern China's Shangdong province, at a press conference last Thursday.

Changdao, also calledTemple Islands, is called "Immortal Mountain Offshore" because of the beautiful scenery, pleasant climate, fresh air, elegant environment, multiple exotic reefs and stones, natural wonders such as the mirage, haizi, and advection fog. The county is the cradle of the story of the "Eight Immortals Legend".

Changdao also has unique Matsu culture, and is home to a Matsu temple called Xianying Palace, which was initially founded in the fourth year of Xuanhe of Northern Song Dynasty (1122 A .D.).

According to Zhang, there are activities and festivals celebrating Matsu in Changdao, and the most famous one is called the "Xianying Palace Temple Fair". It is the folk activity that comes from the sacrificial activities in spring and autumn, in existence since the palace was initially constructed.

The temple fair on July 15 of the lunar year and other temple fair activities of Xianying Palace lasted till the 1950s at the beginning of the establishment of the country. For example, January 15 in the lunar year marked the "Lantern Show of the Lantern Festival," March 23 in the lunar year temple fair celebrated the birth of goddess ( Spring Temple ), and September 9 in the lunar year temple fair was for sacrifice (Autumn Taste).

Activities at the temple were revived after a 35 year absence in 1985, after the temple underwent repairs. In 1992, the "Lantern Show of the Lantern Festival" was held at the temple.