Xinhua Chaotian Temple

Xinhua Chaotian Temple, founded in 1807 AD, is rich in legendary tales. Legend has it that the Xinhua urban area was once considered a geomantic site (feng shui) of the Bagua Spider Lair. In 1862, an earthquake severely damaged the Chaotian Temple. A spider spirit took advantage of this time to cause chaos, leading local women to behave wildly and unrestrainedly, greatly troubling the residents. Later, under the guidance of Mazu (the goddess) of Chaotian Temple, the temple was rebuilt, and a procession began to suppress the evil, which resolved the chaos. This procession later became the well-known 'Damujiang Eighteen Raos' procession. Furthermore, there is a legend that Mazu of Chaotian Temple manifested a miracle during World War II. At that time, Xinhua had a small airport. When the Allied forces were bombing, Mazu's image appeared in the sky, catching the bombs and throwing them into uninhabited mountainous areas. This remains a story of Mazu's compassion recounted by elders today. Inside the temple, many precious Qing Dynasty stone tablets and plaques are still preserved. Most notably, the inscription commemorating the 1927 renovation includes the names of Japanese donors. This demonstrates the important status of Chaotian Temple in the Xinhua area.