Peitian Temple

Peitian Temple was founded in the 26th year of Kangxi (1687). Legend has it that Lin Ma, a devout Mazu follower from Ban-yue Village, Dongshi, would travel long distances annually to worship at Mazu temples. Due to the arduous journeys, he decided that year to bring a Mazu statue back from Meizhou to worship in his own home. On his return journey with the statue, Lin Ma stopped to rest at a tea stall under a hackberry tree on the south bank of the Puzi River. When nearby residents learned of this, they requested he stay for a few days so the public could worship Mazu. However, after several days, when Lin Ma prepared to depart for home, the statue became inexplicably heavy and could not be moved. Through divining blocks, Mazu expressed her wish to permanently reside there. The local people immediately built a small temple for worship. As there was a hackberry tree next to the temple, it was named 'Pushu Temple' (Hackberry Temple). Subsequently, the settlement developed outwards with this temple as its center, which is why Puzi was formerly known as 'Puzaijiao' (Hackberry Foot), deriving its name from here. Pushu Temple was later renamed 'Peitian Temple'. The exact timing and reason for this renaming are debated, but the most credible explanation is that when the renovation project was completed in the 4th year of Tongzhi (1865), the temple directors renamed it to reflect the meaning of 'enjoying eternal incense offerings and participating in the creation of heaven and earth'. Due to its flourishing incense offerings, Peitian Temple has undergone continuous renovations throughout the years. The earliest expansion of the main hall and worship hall occurred in the 54th year of Kangxi (1715). Subsequent renovations took place approximately every half-century during the reigns of Qianlong, Jiaqing, and Tongzhi. The fourth renovation during the Japanese colonial period (1915) is believed to have been led by the renowned master craftsman Chen Ying-bin from Zhangzhou. He employed the 'duichangzuo' (competitive construction) method and set a precedent for official Japanese government subsidies for temple renovations in Taiwan. Major changes after World War II include: the renovation of the rear hall and construction of new bell and drum towers in 1947 (the 36th year of the Republic); the construction of a pilgrim's dormitory building from 1975 to 1977 (ROC years 64-66); and the reconstruction of the east and west side halls in 1981 (ROC year 70). The Lantern Festival lantern display has been Peitian Temple's most distinctive celebration for over a century, and its origin is also linked to General Wang De-lu. Legend has it that Emperor Jiaqing once granted General Wang permission to host a lantern festival within his residence for his elderly brother and sister-in-law to enjoy. Later, General Wang moved the lantern display to Peitian Temple to congratulate Mazu and allow the public to appreciate it, thus establishing the lantern festival as a traditional part of the temple's Lantern Festival celebrations. Architectural Overview: Peitian Temple's architectural layout generally forms a '回' (hui, meaning return or circle) shape. Similar to other temples, the spaces along the central axis are the most revered, sequentially comprising the most ornate Sanchuan Hall (Front Hall), the tallest Main Hall, and the Rear Hall, which are the primary worship areas. The outermost left and right sides are the side halls, used as offices and other functional spaces. Bell and drum towers are placed on either side of the Main Hall to highlight the grand rooflines. Architectural Features: Peitian Temple was renovated using the 'duichangzuo' (competitive construction) method. At that time, two teams of master craftsmen were invited to work on the left and right sides, respectively, using the central axis as the dividing line, to foster competition and save time. Therefore, if one stands in the center of the Sanchuan Hall and looks up at the roof, it is noticeable that the wooden components and carvings on the left and right sides are asymmetrical, a testament to the distinct skills of the two teams of craftsmen.