Lukang Nanjing Temple Introduction
Nanjing Temple, according to the "Changhua County Gazetteer," was built in the 37th year of Qianlong's reign during the Qing Dynasty (1772) by merchants from Nanjing, Fujian. Located next to the Wang Ye Temple, it primarily worships the Emperor Guandi. The merchants from Nanjing invited the ancestral deity, the Emperor Guandi, to Taiwan and initially established the temple by the dock of Lugang (the current temple site, which was originally a mooring area for boats). Initially, it served as a religious center for immigrants from Zhangzhou. As people from Zhangzhou moved inland, it has now become a shared Guandi Temple for all ethnic groups. Nanjing Temple mainly worships the Emperor Guandi (reverently referred to as the Great Emperor Who Subdues Demons). It also enshrines Prince Guan Ping and General Zhou Cheng as the great protectors on either side. Other deities include the God of Culture, the Marshal of the Xie Family, Lord Ma, the Red Hare that runs a thousand miles a day, the legendary green dragon crescent blade weighing eighty-one jins, and various military officials. The Emperor Guandi, known by the name Yu and courtesy name Yun Chang, originally named Changsheng, was from Hedong Jieliangzhou during the Three Kingdoms era. He is admired for his loyalty, filial piety, integrity, and righteousness, famously sworn brothers with Liu and Zhang in the Peach Garden. He is one of the Five Wenchang, honored in Confucianism as the Holy Emperor of Literature. Historical records state: "One from Shandong authored the Spring and Autumn Annals (referring to Confucius); one from Shanxi studied the Spring and Autumn Annals (referring to the Holy Emperor Guandi)." Hence, he is also referred to as Confucius of Shanxi. Revered as a secondary sage, and with exceptional martial arts skills and high moral integrity, he is respected as a deity of education and considered a guardian deity for scholars.
