Jiuru Three Mountain Kings Temple

The Three Mountain Kings Temple, located in Jiuming Village, Jiuru Township, was founded in 1651 (the 5th year of Emperor Yongli's reign in the Ming Dynasty). With a history of over 300 years, it is a rare Hakka ancient temple that has maintained its traditional architectural layout without significant renovation or expansion. It has been designated as a Class 3 cultural heritage site. "Three Mountains" originally referred to three famous mountains in Guangdong, China: Dushan, Mingshan, and Jinshan. The residents living there, out of reverence for the mountain spirits, developed the local belief in the "Three Mountain Kings." According to local historical records, the earliest legend of the Three Mountain deities appeared during the Sui Dynasty. These three mountain deities claimed to be brothers, who, by divine will, guarded Dushan, Mingshan, and Jinshan respectively. Another theory states that during the Song Dynasty's expansion, the three mountain deities assisted in conquering new territories, thus enabling the dynasty to establish its empire successfully, for which they were ennobled as the Three Kings. While these legendary stories are difficult to verify, they have deeply solidified the religious beliefs of the local Hakka residents, allowing the faith to take root everywhere. From an external perspective, the Jiuru Three Mountain Kings Temple features a "sanchuan" (three-section) ridge with a swallowtail design, appearing very streamlined from afar. The architectural layout consists of three main halls and two wing rooms, with Koji ceramic, wooden beams and pillars, and stone wall columns as the main decorative elements. The painted and carved motifs of flowers, birds, deities, and beasts within show considerable ingenuity. The halls are connected by corridors, and there are front and central courtyards. Inside the temple, plaques such as "Hui Guang Nan Hai" (Wisdom Light of the South Sea) and "Wei Zhen Hai Dong" (Power Shaking the East Sea), along with the altar, incense burner, and divination sticks, are all precious historical artifacts. The "Three Mountain Kings Temple Weng-Ye and Nai-Nai Returning Home" event is an annual cultural festival. It primarily begins with devotees from Linluo Township visiting the Jiuru Three Mountain Kings Temple to welcome Weng-Ye and Nai-Nai (Lord and Lady) home. After several days, it is then the turn of devotees from the Jiuru Three Mountain Kings Temple to respectfully invite Weng-Ye and Nai-Nai to return to their temple. The climax of the entire event involves the newborn male infants of the year carrying incense and lanterns, accompanying Weng-Ye and Nai-Nai in a procession to pray for the peace and prosperity of the local community. It is a religious ceremony that combines heartwarming scenes.