Mazu Temple (Cifong Temple) Introduction
During the Yongli period of the Ming Dynasty, a monk who served the Mazu deity crossed the sea from Fujian to Ahou (present-day Pingtung City). Initially, the Mazu statue was respectfully placed in the official office for worship. However, it was puzzling that each night a flickering red light would appear. At first, people could not understand the significance of the red light, but after some time, they realized it was a manifestation of Mazu's divine presence, which led to discussions about constructing a temple in her honor. This marked the beginning of the Ci Feng Temple, which started construction in 1737 (the second year of the Qianlong era of the Qing Dynasty), and it is a long-celebrated miraculous story among devotees. Over two hundred years since its establishment, the temple suffered its most severe fire in 1983 due to an electrical short, which nearly destroyed both the front and back halls. However, the devotees were comforted and amazed to find that the deities worshipped inside remained unscathed. Following this incident, a large-scale reconstruction project was launched, taking fifteen years to complete, leading to the present-day appearance of Ci Feng Temple. On the roof above the plaque reading "Ci Feng Temple," visitors can immediately see the splendid and elaborate decorative cut-paper art, featuring vivid figures made of Tongzhi ceramics and various dragon and beast motifs; the ceiling of the main hall is covered with layers of golden-painted dougong brackets, which not only gleam brilliantly but also exude exceptional grandeur. Furthermore, there are numerous historical relics over a century old, such as the intricately carved stone drums and dragon columns in the main hall, along with plaques hanging in the temple and stone tablets documenting historical events from the Qing Dynasty. After reconstruction, Ci Feng Temple not only displays a magnificent temple courtyard appearance but also employs creative thinking to host numerous cultural events, allowing people to rediscover the nature of traditional religion, such as the Ahou Mazu Cultural Festival, the God’s Pilgrimage Parade, the Bajeiang Officers Competition, and more, promoting the value of religion while also enriching deeper cultural connotations.
