Lianzuo Mountain Guanyin Temple Introduction
The local people commonly refer to it as Guanyin Pavilion, which is now a designated third-level historical site. Since its establishment, the temple has undergone several renovations, yet it still maintains the appearance and scale of over 200 years ago, making it a precious cultural asset. In 2013, it was selected as one of the "One Hundred Scenic Spots of Religion in Taiwan" by the Ministry of the Interior, highlighting its historical significance. Lianzu Mountain stands alone in the Dahan River, resembling a lotus emerging from the water, hence its name. In the third year of the Jiaqing era of the Qing Dynasty (1797), it was founded by Zhong Shangyi and others who raised funds to build a Buddhist temple on the mountain, dedicated to the worship of Guanyin and the eighteen Arhats, named Guanyin Temple. By 1904 (Meiji 37), local gentry in Daxi raised funds for significant repairs due to concerns of the temple collapsing, and an offering pavilion was added. In 1925 (Taisho 14), it was completely renovated with further fundraising, and in 1934 (Showa 9), the original offering pavilion was transformed into a resting gable pavilion, which remains to this day. The architecture of Guanyin Temple at Lianzu Mountain is limited by the terrain, preventing vertical development, resulting in a five-gate single-hall style temple. The roof features a three-ridge design, with an offering pavilion in front of the main hall, which is the most distinctive characteristic of Guanyin Temple. Its roof adopts a heavy eaves resting design, and inside there is a bagua coffered ceiling. The temple’s cut-and-paste art, clay sculptures, wood carvings, stone inscriptions, and murals are all ancient and elegant. Beside the temple, in a shaded area about 10 meters to the right, there is a Sacred Pavilion (Xizi Pavilion), an important historical structure named "Kuixing Tower," built in 1936 (Showa 11). It enshrines the God of Culture, with the pavilion constructed of red bricks in a three-section design, featuring couplets on the upper and middle layers. The dragon and tiger stone carvings of the pavilion are vivid, and the cut-and-paste and sculptures are exquisite. There is also Kuixing Tower on the right side of the temple, which is dedicated to the God of Culture, to bless literary pursuits. This Kuixing Tower has the additional function of a Tianzi Pavilion, featuring both a receptacle for offering papers and temple eaves with tile roofs, adorned with auspicious beast tiles and reliefs, making it quite magnificent. Next to Kuixing Tower is a small pavilion enshrining the God of Wealth and the Tree God, which appears simple and unadorned. It is said that this site existed before the construction of Guanyin Temple, adding to its historical value. Source: Cultural Affairs Bureau, Tainan City.
