Zongsheng Temple Introduction
During the Qianlong and Jiaqing periods of the Qing Dynasty, the Zeng clan, originally from Guangdong, China, immigrated to Taiwan. After generations of hard work, the family's business eventually prospered. To honor their ancestors and uphold their family name, the descendants of the Zeng clan built the Zongsheng Temple in 1929. The temple enshrines Zeng Shen, a direct disciple of Confucius, known for his filial piety and honored as "Zongsheng Gong" by successive emperors. The Zongsheng Temple is a building that combines the traditional Hakka courtyard layout with opulent Baroque style, and it is currently one of the largest and most elaborately decorated ancestral halls in Taiwan, ranking alongside the Tianshui Hall in Beipu, northern Taiwan, as one of the most significant ancestral halls in the north and south of Taiwan. Covering an area of 1,100 ping, the Zongsheng Temple adopts a two-hall and two-winged courtyard design, utilizing decorative techniques such as pebble wash, clay sculpture, wood carving, painting, calligraphy, and traditional Taiwanese cut-and-paste pottery, applied to the entrance hall, roof, beams, columns, and gable walls. For instance, the entrance gate located in the plaza, adorned with animal sculptures, appears grand and elegant; there are also features like the swallow-tailed roof, water-shaped horse backs, fire-shaped horse backs, and pottery birds. Notably, on the surface of the pillars in the main hall, one can find "bamboo leaf characters" crafted from bamboo leaves, showcasing a rare form of calligraphy art. Upon entering the main hall, a shrine for ancestors is centrally placed, and the sacrificial altar is designed according to ancient customs, with a plaque reading "Tian Jing Di Yi" that illustrates Zeng Zi's philosophy of life. The lateral wings retain the sacrificial spaces for the lineage of Zeng Yuzhen and the six major houses: Jiuling, Xishan, Nanshan, Duantang, Huangkeng, and Shenpo. This ancient building fully demonstrates the Confucian values, philosophies, and social organization of the Hakka people, making it a valuable cultural asset.
