Ciyun Temple Introduction
The "Ci Yun Temple" in Houlong, which has a history of over 220 years, is the only Taoist temple in Miaoli County that preserves the most complete historical documents. It is also one of the oldest and most well-organized Tian Shang Sheng Mu (Mazu) temples in Taiwan as registered by the government. With a history of over 200 years, Ci Yun Temple is the oldest temple in Houlong, and the number of ancient artifacts it houses is also unparalleled among the many temples in the Houlong area, such as an ancient table from the Qianlong period and a plaque with the imperial seal of Emperor Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty that reads "Working in Harmony with Heaven." Ci Yun Temple is oriented north-south and consists of a main hall along with left and right wings. The main hall enshrines Mazu, while the left and right wings are dedicated to Tu Di Gong (Land God) and Zhensheng Niangniang (Goddess of Conception), respectively, with a thriving incense offering. Each year during the Lantern Festival, Ci Yun Temple hosts an interesting folk activity called "Shooting the Castle," where a mini castle is hung atop a 10-meter bamboo pole. Contestants throw self-ignited firecrackers into the castle's gates to trigger explosions of the pre-arranged gunpowder inside for a chance to win prizes from the organizers.
