Lukang Nanjing Temple Introduction
Nanjing Shrine, according to the "Chronicles of Changhua County," was built in the 37th year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1772) by merchants from Nanjing County in Zhangzhou, Fujian. It is located next to the Wangye Temple, with its main deity being Guan Sheng Dijun (Guan Yu). The Nanjing merchants invited the ancestral temple's deity, Guan Sheng Dijun, to Taiwan and initially established the temple on the waterfront of Lugang (the current temple site, where vessels used to dock). It originally served as a center of worship exclusive to immigrants from Zhangzhou. As Zhangzhou residents moved inland, it has now become a temple for all ethnic groups to venerate Guan Yu. The main deity of Nanjing Shrine is Guan Sheng Dijun (reverently titled Fumo Dadi). He is accompanied by Guan Ping and Zhou Cang as the protectors. Other deities worshipped include Wen Kuixing, Marshal Xie, Ma Ye Gong, the Red Hare (a horse known for its speed), the legendary weapon Qinglong Yanyue Dao, and various military generals. Guan Sheng Dijun is known by the name Yu, courtesy name Yun Chang, and originally named Changsheng. He was from the Hedong region of Jieliang Province during the Three Kingdoms period. He is revered for his loyalty, filial piety, integrity, and righteousness, especially in the story of his oath of brotherhood with Liu Bei and Zhang Fei. Guan Sheng Dijun is one of the five Wenchang deities, honored in Confucianism as the Shengdi of Wenheng. Historical records mention: "A man from Shandong composed the Spring and Autumn Annals (Confucius); a man from Shanxi studied the Spring and Autumn Annals (Guan Sheng)." Thus, he is also referred to as Confucius of Guan. He is revered as a secondary saint and sage, and with extraordinary martial skills and noble integrity, he is venerated as the god of education and a protector of scholars.
