Puyan Shunza Temple Introduction
During the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty, a clan from Quanzhou, Fujian, settled in what is now Puyan Village, and dedicated themselves to worshiping Xuantian Shangdi, establishing the Puyan Shunze Temple. Later, some of their descendants moved to Xihu to invite "Er Di" to build Xuantian Temple; others relocated to Xiushui to invite "San Di" to construct San Sheng Temple. The three brother temples once held gathering activities, with members of each temple's managing committee coming together to share the historical process of nurturing auspicious smoke, which was quite a joyful occasion! The Puyan Shunze Temple is renowned for its divine manifestations, and numerous legends are recounted in the local area. In the 37th year of the Republic of China, it was severely damaged by fire and rebuilt. In the 87th year of the Republic of China, the temple was demolished and rebuilt, resulting in a unique design. To enter the temple, one must climb two curved stone steps, which are surrounded by a curved stone-carved dragon wall. The dragons on the wall are vividly sculpted and appear quite majestic, and the interior of the temple features a large amount of exquisite wooden carvings, making it quite magnificent. One particularly special aspect of the Puyan Shunze Temple is that it houses a rather rare clay statue of Xuantian Shangdi. After the devastating fire in the 37th year of the Republic of China, the temple was reduced to ruins, and during the reconstruction, a statue of Xuantian Shangdi was created from clay. This statue has been preserved for over fifty years and remains in very good condition, qualifying it as a national treasure-level historical artifact. The main deity worshiped is Xuantian Shangdi, with subsidiary deities including the Five Grains Emperor, Prince Marshal, Wuan Zunwang, Qian-sui from the Ganfu, Qian-sui from the Chifu, Qian-sui from the Chenfu, Qian-sui from the Lifu, Qian-sui from the Zhufu, Marshal Zhao, Marshal Kang, the Deity of Good Fortune, and the City God.
Puyan Shunzao Temple
