Bishan Yan Kai Zhang Sheng Wang Temple

Bishan Yan is located on Bishan Mountain in Neihu. The temple enshrines Chen Yuanguang, a national hero who pioneered Fujian, and his subordinates, Generals Li Boyao and Ma Ren. Chen Yuanguang developed the Zhangzhou region of Fujian during the late Tang Dynasty, was regarded as the guardian deity of the people of Zhangzhou, and was respectfully called 'Kai Zhang Sheng Wang' (the Saint King who Opened Zhangzhou). Bishan Yan is one of Taiwan's largest Kai Zhang Sheng Wang Temples, with a thriving stream of worshippers. Legend has it that when a man surnamed Huang from Zhangzhou Prefecture brought his family across the sea to Taiwan for land reclamation, he found this place to be a rare auspicious site. He then hung the incense charm he carried with him in a stone cave to worship before leaving. Afterward, bandits became rampant in the area below the mountain, plundering homes and making life unbearable for the locals. In 1751 AD, as the bandits were preparing to attack the summit, they suddenly saw brilliant light radiating from the mountaintop and heard war drums beating loudly. It turned out that the divine stone, where the incense charm had been hung, split into three parts: the middle piece was the Saint King, and the two side pieces were Generals Li and Ma. The surrounding loose stones rolled down the mountain, causing the bandits to abandon their weapons and flee. Upon hearing the news, nearby residents came to worship, and indeed, the deities bestowed blessings, leading to the construction of a small stone chamber temple. Later, as the number of pilgrims grew, the original small stone chamber temple became insufficient for the large number of worshippers, so a main hall was built at the original site. Subsequently, several natural disasters occurred. After multiple renovations, it was expanded to its current size through the efforts of many local people, devotees, and temple management committee members. Bishan Yan overlooks the area from a high vantage point. In addition to offering views of the Taipei Basin, standing on the temple's front platform also reveals the winding Tamsui River, Carp Mountain, terraced fields, and more, where the shimmering water and picturesque mountains echo each other. At night, one can gaze upon the Taipei Basin, taking in the beautiful night views of landmarks such as Taipei 101, the Grand Hotel, and Songshan Airport.