Fayu Temple Ancient Trail Introduction
Fayun Temple is located at the junction of Gongguan Township and Shitan Township in Wenshui Village, and it is one of the four major Buddhist sites in Taiwan. Originally built in the first year of the Republic of China, it was later renovated due to earthquake damage. The newly constructed Fayun Temple features a solemn and magnificent appearance, reminiscent of the grandeur of the Tang Dynasty. Inside the temple, the Main Hall enshrines a White Jade Buddha, approximately 9 feet tall and weighing over a ton, donated by Master Hongzong from Singapore. The garden outside the hall is adorned with cherry blossoms, and notably, a Bodhi tree is planted beside the temple, symbolizing wisdom, which bears fruit abundantly from September to December each year. Additionally, the straw insulation baskets from Wenshui Village are rare handcrafted items. The Fayun Temple Ancient Trail starts from the Chenghuang Temple in Kaimuan Village and ends at Dahu Fayun Temple, spanning a total length of 1.8 kilometers. This trail was an important transportation route for the ancestors developing the Shuiwei Ping in Dahu. The original ancient path was located behind the current Kaimuan Elementary School, crossing over the Jin Tong Mountain (Jian Mountain) saddle and descending to the bridge at the opposite bank of Fayun Temple, reaching the Shuiwei Ping in Dahu Township and the Wenshui area in Shitan Township. Later, due to the construction of Fayun Temple, it was relocated to the existing Army Mountain Trail, making it difficult to trace the original ancient path.
