Beishi Liao Bao'an Temple Introduction
Bao'an Temple, located in Beishiliao, Zhongliao Village, Fangliao Township, Pingtung County, was established in the 50th year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1785) and has a history of over two hundred years. The temple is dedicated to the deity Baosheng Dadi and is the best-preserved temple in Pingtung County. Bao'an Temple features a two-section, three-bay layout, comprising the three-arch hall, main hall, dragon-tiger well, and worship pavilion. Notable artisans such as Huang Guili, Yang Xiuxing, Chen Jitang, and Zheng Zhencheng were commissioned for its decoration, which includes carvings, paintings, and paper-cutting based on mythological stories and historical figures, making it a temple with significant historical and artistic value. According to the temple's history, Beishiliao was a barren and sparsely populated area during the Ming Dynasty, where residents mainly engaged in logging, fishing, and agriculture. Timber was transported by boat to Chengtianfu for sale. One night, a local ancestor, Yang Kaishan, noticed a bright light while fishing at sea. Driven by curiosity, he went ashore to investigate and discovered a bag of incense marked "Baosheng Dadi Incense." He brought it home for worship, and thereafter, miraculous events began to occur, leading to an increasing number of devotees, which prompted the establishment of the temple. Bao'an Temple has undergone multiple renovations and was reconstructed during the Japanese occupation era. At that time, a special method of dividing the space was used, inviting different artisans to design and execute their respective sections. The main artisans involved were the famous Taiwanese sculptor Huang Guili and master Yang Xiuxing from the Quanzhou Xidi School. Each artisan's style and choice of decorative themes were distinctive and contributed to enhancing the cultural value of Bao'an Temple.
