宗教廟宇

The Guan-Di Temple of Ba-Ji-Jing was built during the reign of Emperor Kangxi in the Qing Dynasty. The current building you see is the result of rebuilding and extensions over the last century. It has since been designated as a historic city building. Inside the temple you will find door gods and frescoes painted by Pan Li-shui, winner of the Folk Heritage Art Awards. There are also calligraphy couplets by famous calligraphers including Chu Chiu-Ying and Huang Kuo-shu, plaques from the Qianlong Era, and clay god statues from old temples.

Changxing Temple's origins can be traced back to the Kangxi reign. Local forbears found king boat in old Tsengwen River(曾文溪), at the Taijiang Inner Sea, and believed it to be a lucky omen. They build hut at the river side which became a place of worship, to pray for an end to the changing course of the river, which had repeatedly caused damage along the coast.

An imposing plaque can be seen in front of Su Cuo Zhen Hu Temple(蘇厝真護宮), with the characters Nan Ying Zong Zhen Shou (Great Protector of the South) carved on it, showing the power of the god the temple enshrines. It is said that the god Li fu qian sui came from Liuying. In the Qing dynasty, a king boat was released into the river at Liuying by him; it floated down the river and came to a halt at the side of the Zengwen River. It was discovered by locals who asked the god what to do and were instructed to keep the king ship to protect the local people.

Qing’an Temple (慶安宮)was built in 1810 and is a city-listed historic site. The site was previously occupied by Wenchang Temple(文昌祠), however, this was badly damaged in the Great Chianan Earthquake of 1862 and was rebuilt as a larger Mazu temple, becoming one of the three main Mazu temples in Tainan. Inside the temple there is an old well dating back over 300 years to the Dutch Colonial Time. It is surprising the well water remains fresh and hasn’t become stagnant and turbid after so many years hidden underground.

Hubi Temple (護庇宮), located on Zhongzheng Road (中正路) in Yanshui district (鹽水區), is one of Taiwan’s earliest Matsu temples, and it traces its origins back to 1623. With almost 400 years of history, the temple dates to a time when merchant vessels would pass through Yuejin Harbor (月津港), and it was a place where the citizens of Yanshui town would seek blessings. At that time a whole variety of trades and occupations flourished at the harbor edge, and Hubi Temple was an eternal partner during the development of Yanshui.

Built in 1955, Yanshui Catholic Church (鹽水天主神聖堂) has long been a place of fascination for tourists, and even though it is quite clearly a church, it also possesses characteristics of a temple building. From this perspective it would be possible to say that it embodies an East-West fusion. In the early period, it provided a place for those who believed in Jesus, and indeed it was a place where early Christian priests were given room to spiritually express themselves.

Built in 1715, Yanshui Martial Temple(鹽水武廟) enshrines Guan Sheng Di Jun. Yanshui Beehive Fireworks is a wild carnival that attracts many domestic and international tourists on Lantern Festival every year. The streets are full of people the day before Festival, on the day they are packed, and the township is full of excitement. The origin of Yanshui Beehive Fireworks was the procession by Guan Sheng Di Jun to eliminate disease by sending off the plague gods and it has become Taiwan’s most important Lantern Festival activity.

In days gone by Yuejin Harbor had a large number of merchants and was where cargo ships gathered. One of the famous scenes of the harbor at the time was the lights on the fishing boats at Jubo Pavilion. At the side of Jubo Pavilion(聚波亭), Dazhong Temple was built in 1741 and enshrines Lei Fu Da Jiang Gong, one of the followers of Er Ma Jiao of Yanshui Hupi Temple. The temple has tranquil surrounds; local people like to sit in the shade under the big tree in front and chat.

Xiaying Xuan Tian Shang Di Temple (下營玄天上帝廟) is a landmark and Xiaying’s belief center. It was built in 1661, it is said by Liu Guo-xuan, a general under Koxinga, when he settled in Xiaying. After being rebuilt a few times, it is now a large and imposing three-story temple. The third day of the third lunar month every year is Xuan Tian Shang Di’s birthday; from the first to fifth day of the third lunar month, Xiaying is busier than at any other time of year when a religious carnival takes place.

Also called Chishan Yan(赤山巖), the temple was built in 1665, over 350 years ago, it is said by Ming general Chen Yong-hua. Enshrining Guanyin Bodhisattva, to this day Longhuyan Temple attracts a large number of worshippers and tourists.
With mountain at the back and lake in front, as the rays of the setting sun reflect on the water the gold of the temple glitters as if Guanyin Bodhisattva has descended. When night falls, the inverted moon is reflected in the lake like in a mirror, creating another beautiful scene.