Qishi Xuanjiyuan Kongming Temple

Located in Wenzheng Lane, Zhongming Village, Yuchi Township, this is the only temple in Taiwan dedicated to Zhuge Liang. The statue of Zhuge Kongming enshrined on the right side in front of the temple holds a feather fan in his right hand and a scroll in his left, standing 36 feet tall. It is said to be the tallest Zhuge Kongming statue in Asia. In front of the temple, on the Wolong Terrace, there is a statue depicting Liu Bei's Three Visits to the Thatched Cottage. The temple is divided into two floors. The second floor is dedicated to the Martial Saint Guan Gong, whose nine-foot-tall statue exudes majesty, solemnity, and a righteous spirit. The first floor primarily enshrines Zhuge Wuhou (Zhuge Liang) and Xuantian Shangdi. The establishment of the Kongming Temple can be traced back to the 34th year of Meiji (1901) during the Japanese colonial period. At that time, a villager named Shi Tianfu worshipped the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing Daozu) in his own hall, naming it "Mingdetang." Due to its remarkable divine manifestations, it gradually became the local religious center. In the 13th year of Taisho (1924), as the altar was rudimentary and the space was cramped, a new temple was rebuilt at the initiative of the devotees. At this time, in addition to the original Three Pure Ones, Zhuge Kongming and Beiji Xuantian Shangdi were also added as deities. As the original temple had fallen into disrepair, a new site was chosen for construction. With the assistance of several landowners who donated land, the new temple began construction in 1979 and was formally renamed "Qishi Xuanjiyuan."