The White Snake Temple (白蛇廟), officially known as Fangliao Ditang Temple (枋寮地龍殿), is a Chinese folk temple located in Fangliao Township, Pingtung County, Taiwan. The temple is notable for being primarily dedicated to Bai Suzhen (the White Snake Lady), a central figure from the famous Chinese folktale, the Legend of the White Snake. It is one of the few temples where a character from a folk legend is worshipped as a principal deity and is famous for housing live snakes, which are considered sacred by its devotees.
History
The temple was founded by Luo Shifu (羅士富). According to the temple's history, Luo had a dream in the 1990s in which a woman identifying herself as Bai Suzhen appeared. She told him that she had been practicing asceticism for a long time and wished for him to build a temple in her honor, promising to aid local development and protect worshippers.
Following the dream, Luo established a small shrine in his home. As belief in the deity grew and worshippers increased, he raised funds to construct the current temple in 2002. The temple's formal name, Ditang Temple (地龍殿), translates to "Hall of the Earth Dragon," a term that elevates the snake from a common animal to a powerful spiritual entity. It has become a major tourist attraction in Pingtung County.
Deities
Innner shrine of Bai Suzhen.
The principal deity of the temple is Bai Suzhen. While the legend has various interpretations, the temple venerates her as a benevolent and protective goddess. Worshippers pray to her for blessings related to wealth, career, relationships, and protection from misfortune.
Accompanying Bai Suzhen is her sworn sister from the legend, Xiaoqing, the Green Snake. Statues and imagery of Xiaoqing are present, and she is revered as a loyal companion and a protector in her own right. The temple also houses other deities commonly found in Taiwanese folk religion temples, including Guanyin, Guan Yu, Yaotai Laomu, Sanqing Daozu, Tianshang Shengmu, Tudigong and Zhang Tianshi.
Worship and rituals
The White Snake Temple keeps live snakes, including albino or leucistic pythons, which are regarded at the temple as manifestations or representatives of Bai Suzhen. As of 2025, the temple housed approximately 300 white snakes.
One of the temple's rituals is known as "Crossing Under the Snake" (鑽蛇底). Temple staff and handlers hold a large python above the ground while devotees walk or crawl underneath it. The ritual is associated with seeking good fortune, protection from misfortune, and blessings from the White Snake Lady.
The temple holds celebrations for the deity's birthday during the Dragon Boat Festival. Activities include scripture recitation by Taoist priests, group worship, egg-balancing rituals, and ceremonies associated with seeking wealth and blessings. Devotees may also receive items such as "dragon robes", referring to shed snake skin, and "treasure basins", which are associated with good fortune.
Worshippers commonly offer incense, flowers, and fruit. Cosmetics and perfume are also offered at the temple. According to the temple, most worshippers seek blessings related to wealth, while some visit to pray for love and marriage because of the romantic story of Bai Suzhen and Xu Xian.
