Beipu Jiang Family Temple Introduction
The development of the Beipu area began in the 14th year of the Daoguang Emperor’s reign (1834), when the Tamsui District Chief Li Siyian funded the establishment of 15 guard towers at Jiouqionglin Village, employing guards to strengthen defense along the mountains. The following year, he ordered Zhou Bangzheng, the chief of the west gate of Zhucheng, to collaborate with Jiang Xiuluan to organize the Jinguangfu Cultivation Company, responsible for the cultivation tasks. The two, Jiang and Zhou, worked together in the cultivation efforts, gradually making progress and laying the foundation for the development of the Dadai area (including Beipu, Emei, Baoshan, and other villages). Jinguangfu was an organization formed by a partnership of business owners from Fujian and Guangdong, serving both the purpose of defense against indigenous peoples and land cultivation. Due to the challenges of cultivation, which required substantial funding, many investors from Fujian withdrew, leading to the majority of Jinguangfu’s cultivation business becoming owned by the Jiang family. The Jiang family thus became the largest family in Beipu, playing a crucial role in the development of Hsinchu County. Although the Jiang family was a prosperous clan in Beipu, they did not establish a common ancestral hall, only forming organizations such as the Shiliang Temple. It was not until the 10th year of the Taisho era (1921) that Jiang Ruichang, Jiang Zhenxiang, and others promoted the construction of a family temple, raising funds to invite skilled craftsmen to build it, which was completed in the 13th year of the Taisho era (1924).
