Fu'an Temple Introduction
During the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty, a group of immigrants from Quanzhou arrived in Checheng, which was still a barren land at the time. Due to poor adaptation to the environment and the outbreak of epidemics, someone proposed to build a thatched hut to honor the Earth God to protect the local residents, naming it "Jingsheng Pavilion." It was not until the Jiaqing period that local residents initiated fundraising for renovations and renamed Jingsheng Pavilion to Fuan Temple. In the 53rd year of the Qianlong era, Fu Kang'an was ordered to lead troops south to Checheng to quell the Lin Shuangwen rebellion. Unfortunately, many soldiers fell ill due to the unfamiliar environment. Fu Kang'an specially prayed to the Earth God for protection, and soon the soldiers gradually recovered. In gratitude for the divine blessing, he petitioned Emperor Qianlong to grant official robes and hats and presented a stone tablet to commemorate the miraculous deeds of the Earth God. This is the origin of the Earth God in Fuan Temple wearing a crown and a dragon robe in the main hall, which is indeed quite different from the statues of the Earth God in other temples. Fuan Temple was officially renamed Fuan Palace in the 42nd year of the Republic of China. Due to the Earth God’s powerful spirits and responsiveness to prayers, the number of devotees increased, and under the donations of good men and women, expansions were continuously carried out, eventually resulting in the stunning palace-like appearance seen today. It is said that Fuan Palace has become the largest and most prosperous Earth God temple in Taiwan. Fuan Palace features a three-entry six-story structure, with the front hall having five doors and two pavilions. The main hall on the first floor enshrines the Earth God, while the fourth floor is dedicated to Guanyin, the Medicine Buddha, and Manjushri. The sixth-floor front hall enshrines the Tai Sui Star Lord, while the rear hall houses the Jade Emperor, the North and South Dipper Star Lords, and the Three Officials. The eaves showcase many intricate bracket sets, and the stone-carved dragon columns and painted beams further enhance the majesty of the main hall. Inside Fuan Palace, there are many ancient plaques; for example, on the left wall of the main hall is an inscription left by Fu Ankang, the governor of Guangxi during the Qianlong era, who was stationed here to quell the Lin Shuangwen rebellion, and on the right wall is a tablet commemorating Liu Mingdeng's resolution of the Luofa incident during the Tongzhi era, both of which are ancient relics. The most distinctive feature of Fuan Palace is the gold paper burning furnace, which is an octagonal building with three tiers and four stories high. When devotees place gold paper into the furnace’s opening, the gold paper will automatically fly into the furnace. This interesting phenomenon occurs because the flames inside create a cyclone that draws the gold paper in.
