Xishe West Long Temple

Upon first sight, visitors are sure to be drawn to the character '㡣' above the temple, leading them to wonder: 'Is this a misspelling, a deliberately chosen character, or does it not sound like 'long' at all?' In fact, this is an archaic variant of the character '龍' (dragon), no longer in common use today, but its meaning and pronunciation are identical. This temple, an ancient edifice built in 1738, is situated in an alley off Guosheng Road in Anping, slightly removed from the main tourist areas. It primarily enshrines Marshal Chifu (池府千歲), who protects the residents of Anping's Xishe community. All prayers for safety at sea and various religious ceremonies are conducted at Xilong Temple. The temple houses numerous deities, with the most striking being the very large statues of Marshal Xie (謝府元帥) and Marshal Huang (黃府元帥) positioned prominently on the left and right sides of the main hall. Most uniquely, the depiction of the Earth God (土地公) inside the temple differs greatly from the familiar norm. He wears not only a skullcap and a traditional mandarin jacket but also holds a large tobacco pipe. Legend has it that this image was carved in the likeness of a local benevolent gentry, Wang Jishi (王雞屎). Due to his pipe, devotees frequently offer cigarettes in worship, which is a significant point of interest for visitors. Behind Qingyun Temple on the second floor, there is also a narrow passage known as 'Bird-Crossing Mountain - Anle Cave' (安樂洞). It is believed that passing through this cave ensures safety. Those confident they won't get stuck inside are encouraged to give it a try!