Located on an outcrop near the Kaohsiung Port entrance, Shihba Wanggong Temple enjoys excellent views while retaining its traditional Ming-nan style. A steep and perilous set of stairs leading up to the temple is said to be a test of faith for believers. According to stone tablets in the temple, in the late 17th century during the rule of Emperor Kangxi, 18 traders from China landed in Hsitzuwan Bay and became settlers. They were later executed as mutinous runaways. These 18 pioneers' spirits moved local residents and they collected their bodies and placed them at the shrine for worship. This is the earliest recorded origin of the Wanggong Temple. During the Japanese Colonial era, the Japanese carved out the Hsitzuwan Cave in order to build the Kaohsiung Port. The construction did not go well and many casualties resulted. At the residents' advice, the Japanese officials burnt incense to honor the spirits of the 18 pioneers. Construction then proceeded smoothly. Local residents raised funds to build the earliest Shihba Wanggong Temple (lit. 18 Princes' Temple), which was located on the site of Sun Yat-Sen University's athletics field. In 1984, when the university was constructed, the temple was relocated to its current site on the outcrop. (source: http://khh.travel/en/spots/SpotDetail.as px?SN=324) The formal name (in golden colour) of the temple, Ling Xing Hall, can be partially seen in the image through the crossbar