Kunzi Hall Introduction
Kunzi Hall was originally located at the site of a Shinto shrine in the Dulan immigrant village during the Japanese colonial period. After the restoration of Taiwan, the Japanese people took back the deities worshiped in the shrine, and the local residents began to offer prayers to the Earth God at the original site of the shrine. In 1953 (the 42nd year of the Republic of China), local believers invited Mazu to be worshipped, and in 1958 (the 47th year of the Republic of China), the flag of the Queen Mother of the Jade Lake was also enshrined. Kunzi Hall is a public temple that primarily worships the Queen Mother of the Jade Lake, along with other deities including Shakyamuni Buddha, Guanyin Bodhisattva, the Heavenly Mother, Linshui Lady, the Marshal of the Central Altar, and the Xuantian Emperor, who was relocated from the original hometown of residents in Changhua. What makes Kunzi Hall particularly distinctive is the aged old jackfruit and neem trees in front of the hall, both over 80 years old. Standing beside these trees is Kunzi Hall, originally a Japanese shrine, which serves as a gathering place for the villagers of Longtian. In 1960 (the 49th year of the Republic of China), when Kunzi Hall was first established, Master Cheng Yen, who had not yet taken monastic vows, practiced here with his master and often discussed Buddhist teachings with the villagers under these trees. Therefore, the Tzu Chi community named this tree "Tzu Chi Tree." Longtian Village is picturesque and full of rustic charm; riding a bicycle along the straight paths of the Honor Road green tunnel opens up an ecological journey, allowing one to experience the touching connection between life and nature.
