Dashiye Temple

History and Development: Construction Era: The exact founding year is unknown, rebuilt in Taisho 12 (1923). Main Deity: Guanyin Dashi (Dashiye). The original construction date of this temple cannot be verified, but it was possibly founded during the Qianlong era. In Meiji 39 (1906), the Meishan Earthquake completely destroyed the temple. By Taisho 12 (1923), devotees raised funds for its reconstruction. During this reconstruction, the main deities of four temples in the Minxiong area, which were also damaged by the earthquake – Dashiye Temple, Qingsheng Temple (Mazu), Kaizhang Shengwang Temple (Chen Yuanguang), and Kaitai Shengwang Temple (Zheng Chenggong) – were enshrined together. However, due to restrictions imposed by Japanese colonial religious policies, it had to be rebuilt under the name 'Ciji Temple'. It wasn't until Republic of China year 76 (1987) that its original temple name was restored. Dashiye, also known as Dashiye Bo or Dashiye Gong, has many origin stories. One theory states that Dashiye was a demon king later subdued by Guanyin Bodhisattva; another suggests that Guanyin Bodhisattva transformed into the appearance of a demon king to subjugate various demons and ghosts. The county gazette records a different account: people from Quanzhou in Beigang and Zhangzhou in Minxiong engaged in a fierce armed conflict over a trivial sum of money, resulting in heavy casualties. Afterwards, both parties agreed to conduct Pudu (universal salvation) rituals to worship the departed souls, with Dashiye serving as the representative deity of these souls. There is also a belief that during an epidemic, early settlers worshipped Dashiye, a deity from their original hometowns, hoping to quell the disease. Although these accounts are inconsistent, they reflect the temple's diverse functions in resolving armed disputes, promoting harmony in immigrant society, and calming public fear during epidemics. Because in the past, a paper-mâché effigy of Dashiye was only placed and worshipped at street corners during Pudu rituals (or, as some say, Guanyin Dashi only transformed into the appearance of a demon king during that period), on regular days, only Guanyin Bodhisattva can be seen seated in the main hall. Every year from the 21st to the 23rd day of the 7th lunar month, Minxiong holds its annual grand event, the Dashiye Festival. During this time, the temple enshrines a paper-mâché effigy of Dashiye, featuring a green face and fangs, in the main hall. At the conclusion of the Pudu rituals, the Dashiye effigy, along with paper-mâché representations of mountain gods, earth gods, and other deities, are ritually burned, symbolizing Dashiye taking away all the 'good brothers' (departed spirits) and restoring peace to the area. Architectural Overview: The current structure of Dashiye Temple was rebuilt in Taisho 12 (1923). It enshrines deities from four temples, thus its layout is divided into four main parts: the left and right side buildings are the Kaizhang Shengwang Hall and Kaitai Shengwang Hall, respectively. The Sanchuan Hall (Front Hall) and Main Hall along the central axis constitute the main body of Dashiye Temple, while the rear hall is Qingsheng Temple, dedicated to Mazu. Furthermore, the main facade, with the Sanchuan Hall flanked by two mountain gates on either side, also conveys the sense of multiple temples integrated into one. The oldest components of this temple are likely the stone lions in the Sanchuan Hall and the column bases in the rear hall, both of which are old artifacts from the original Qingsheng Temple, carved in Jiaqing 14. The stone lions, in particular, are fine examples of stone carving, their style belonging to the mid-Qing dynasty period, and are well worth a closer look. Additionally, the intricate wood carvings in the Sanchuan Hall feature unique themes, including figures of scholars, farmers, woodcutters, and fishermen, as well as carved windows depicting scenes of the underworld. Architectural Features: The rebuilt beams, pillars, and stone materials of this temple primarily came from Qingsheng Temple and other temples that also collapsed during the 1905 earthquake. Some temple artifacts from the Qing Dynasty era are also housed here, thus indirectly preserving the temple culture of the Minxiong area.