Cihe Temple Introduction
Cihe Temple is located in Yuanshan Village of this town, with the Heavenly Mother as the main deity. Formerly known as Mazu Outside the City, it is one of the two major religious centers in Yuanli, along with Shuntian Temple. Due to transportation development and urban growth, Cihe Temple has surpassed Shuntian Temple in both architectural scale and number of worshippers, becoming the largest religious center in Yuanli. Built in the 53rd year of the Kangxi reign, Cihe Temple was originally established north of today's Xialu Market. In the 37th year of the Qianlong reign (1773), it was initiated by Huang Zairong, Huang Yinglu, and Chen Zhicheng and relocated to its current site. Cihe Temple primarily worships Mazu, along with other deities including Shu Sheng Niangniang, San Shan Guo Wang, Cheng Huang Ye, Guan Sheng Di Jun, Yu Huang Da Di, Xuan Tian Shang Di, San Guan Da Di, Wen Chang Di Jun, Chang Sheng Da Di, Zi Wei Da Di, and Tai Sui Xing Jun. The temple currently houses numerous ancient relics, including the "Pengshan Cihe Temple Inscription," the Mazu statue on the altar, and various offerings such as Qianli Yan and Shunfeng Er, all of which have been preserved from its early days. Additionally, there is an ancient stone incense burner from the 36th year of Qianlong's reign, a wooden altar, and an ancient plaque titled "Haiguo Biao Ling," established in the 38th year of Qianlong's reign, as well as a royal plaque titled "Yu Tian Tong Gong," bestowed in the 10th year of Guangxu for Cihe Temple's contributions to the rescue efforts of the Heavenly Mother.
