Nanfang'ao Jin'an Temple (Mazu of Gem Coral) Introduction
Jin'an Temple, housing the Mazu deity with over 200 years of history, exudes a solemn and dignified atmosphere that brings peace to the soul. Located near the third fishing port of Nanfangao along Su'nan Highway, Jin'an Temple is said to have been established in the 19th century when a sailboat from Tangshan sought refuge from the northeast monsoon. The crew brought the Mazu statue from the ship to a stone cave on land for worship, and ultimately, Mazu chose to remain there to bless the fishermen. In 1975, due to the government designating Beifangao as a military zone, the fishermen were collectively relocated to Nanfangao. Because of this relocation, the fishermen wished to bring Mazu with them, but the divination results indicated that Mazu was unwilling to leave Beifangao. Therefore, the Mazu statue was left in the original temple, and a new Jin'an Temple was rebuilt by the port of Nanfangao as a place of faith for the immigrants. In 2006, a coral merchant had a dream from the Black-faced Mazu, urging him to donate deep-sea coral gems. After visiting temples across Taiwan, he realized that the Black-faced Mazu in Jin'an Temple was indeed the one from his dream. As a result, he sculpted and donated a unique coral Mazu statue, measuring 4 feet 8 inches and weighing 600 kilograms, intricately crafted from coral gems and gold, showcasing a majestic divine presence that blesses the faithful who come to pay their respects.
