Shilin Cixian Temple

Shilin Cixian Temple, also known as Shilin Mazu Temple, primarily worships the Heavenly Holy Mother (Mazu) and is located within the renowned Shilin Night Market. The predecessor of Cixian Temple was a temple built in 1796 (the 1st year of the Jiaqing Emperor's reign in the Qing Dynasty) on land donated by its owner, He Jintang. It was then known as Tianhou Temple. In 1859 (the 9th year of the Xianfeng Emperor's reign), armed conflicts broke out between the Zhangzhou and Quanzhou factions. Zhilan Street was also affected and burned down, and Tianhou Temple was likewise engulfed in flames. After the old street was tragically destroyed by fire, the gentry Pan Yongqing strongly advocated for relocating and building a new street. This proposal received approval from most residents, leading to the construction of a new street in the area known as Xiashulin, which is today's Shilin New Street. Simultaneously, the center of the street area was designated as the temple site, which is the current location of Cixian Temple. Cixian Temple is a temple featuring a layout of two halls, two corridors, and two side chambers, forming a total of five courtyards. The two main halls are connected to the side chambers by connecting corridors, making it a typical Minnan-style temple with a hall-and-courtyard structure. The roof of the Sanchuan Hall (the first entrance hall) features a hip-and-gable style with double eaves and upturned ridges, also known as the "Taizi Lou" or "Prince's Tower" style. The single coiled dragon octagonal pillars at the central door of the main hall were crafted during the Guangxu era, while the Qilin (mythical beast) relief carvings on both sides date back to 1828. The painted palace maids on the doors and the door gods Yuchi Gong and Qin Shubao exhibit extremely exquisite craftsmanship, being works by Chen Yufeng, an important master craftsman of recent times. Beside the main hall, there is a stone mural depicting Shilin Old Street, allowing visitors to contemplate the streetscape and scenery of Shilin in days gone by.