It is usually considered the oldest Mazu temple in Taiwan and, despite differences in characters, is the namesake of the surrounding city of Magong.

[6][7] A 1604 stele recording the ultimatum Yu Dayou's son Zigao gave to the Dutch to abandon Taiwan was discovered at the temple in 1919.

[4] In 1622, the Dutch seized the area and erected a fort; following their conquest by Yu Zigao's forces two years later, the temple was again remodeled.

The present temple is largely the result of a 1922 renovation,[4] mostly employing Tangshan,[5] Guangzhou, and Chaozhou artists.

[2][4] The main idol of Mazu is said to be more than 700 years old, carved from a single piece of solid wood weighing about 150 kilograms (330 lb).

[8] The temple is one of the landmarks of Taiwan turned into moe figures in artist Chih Yu's We Stay, We Live.